NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 10, 2008) — Because of soft demand in the North American original equipment market and certain sectors of the replacement market, Bridgestone/Firestone said it is reducing passenger, light truck and truck and bus tire production in North America through the end of 2008.
Affected BFS facilities include the plants in LaVergne and Warren County, Tenn.; Wilson, N.C.; Aiken County, S.C.; and Joliette, Quebec, a company spokesman said. North American off-the-road and agricultural tire production wont' be impacted, he added.
Production cutbacks will take different forms based on each plant's production schedules and could include reducing daily unit production, eliminating overtime, extending shutdown dates or shutting down a plant one day a week, according to the company.
BFS said it is addressing production levels in such a way as to avoid layoffs while adhering to responsible inventory management practices. The company said it will continue to evaluate the market and make production adjustments up or down as needed.