The company has not specified just how many people in Akron will lose their jobs.
AKRON, Ohio — Tire manufacturer Bridgestone Americas is set to lay off a chunk of its workforce, and employees in Akron will be among those impacted.
Last week, Bridgestone announced the closure of its truck and bus radial tire plant in LaVergne, Tennessee, resulting in the layoff of 700 workers. The company highlighted that this decision is part of its strategy to optimize its business footprint and enhance competitiveness.
Not limited to just the LaVergne plant, Bridgestone also revealed plans for capacity and workforce reductions at its agriculture tire plant in Des Moines, Iowa, alongside additional layoffs in various departments like U.S. corporate, sales, and operations. Furthermore, similar reductions are expected in Latin America, with a focus on cutting workforce and production capacity in Argentina and Brazil.
Company spokesperson Emily Weaver explained that these changes are a response to the current challenging economic climate, necessitating a realignment of staffing levels across corporate, sales, and operations in the Americas. She stated that out of the company’s total of nearly 44,000 employees in North America and Latin America, around 4% are expected to depart as part of both voluntary and involuntary workforce reduction initiatives.
Per 3News media partner Signal Akron, this would impact about 1,760 workers across the continents.
The LaVergne plant was the first tire-producing facility in North America for the Bridgestone Corporation. The company stopped making tires for cars and light trucks at the plant in 2009, laying off roughly half of the workers at the time. LaVergne’s United Steelworkers master union workers have preferential hiring rights at the company’s plants in Des Moines; Akron; and Russellville, Arkansas, Weaver said.
Bridgestone America’s Center for Research and Technology is located in Akron, along with an Advanced Tire Production Center, where Firestone Firehawk tires are made for use in the IndyCar Series. The company is also planning to open a pilot plant in the city for the making of the synthetic rubber butadiene.
When reached by 3News for comment, Weaver did not specify how many people in Akron would lose their jobs. However, there is no indication that either facility will be closed, nor are there any public changes related to the butadiene plant.
