NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tire maker Bridgestone Americas is closing its truck and bus radial tire plant in LaVergne, Tennessee, and laying off 700 workers there, the company announced in a news release.
Bridgestone said the closure will help the company “optimize its commercial footprint” and “strengthen its competitiveness.”
Additionally, Bridgestone announced capacity and workforce reductions at its Des Moines, Iowa, agricultural tire plant, as well as additional workforce reductions in U.S. sales and operations. In Latin America, it plans reductions in workforce and production capacity in Argentina and Brazil. A Bridgestone spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions Friday morning about the extent of the reductions.
The LaVergne plant was the first tire production plant in North America for Bridgestone Corporation. The company stopped making tires for cars and light trucks at its plant in 2009, laying off about half the workers at the time.
