Titan International Inc., which operates tire manufacturing plants in Des Moines, Freeport, Ill., and Bryan, Ohio, announced in its earnings release today that the company is realigning operations.

Due to capacity limitations at its Ohio plant, Titan is adding capacity in Des Moines and Freeport to expand its production of off-road tires. The change involves retooling, retraining workers and moving equipment at the two plants. According to a press release, this realignment began in the fourth quarter of last year and will continue through the second quarter of 2007.

The realignment decreased Titan’s profits in the fourth quarter of 2006, as many employees took time away from production to be retrained. Titan’s fourth-quarter profits were $2.1 million, down from $6.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2005. The decrease came despite improved sales of $165.6 million, a 71 percent increase from sales of $96.6 million in the year-ago period.