Bridgestone closes TBR plant, makes other cuts

Bridgestone Americas Inc. will close its TBR tire plant in LaVerge, Tenn., on July 31, 2025.

The decision to close the plant “is part of the company’s strategic initiatives to optimize the company’s footprint, strengthen its competitiveness and improve the quality of the company’s US operations,” Bridgestone said in a Jan. 23 statement.

“While adapting to the challenges of the business environment, while Bridgestone continues to strengthen its core business of premium tires and sustainably create social and customer value, further optimization of the company’s footprint and costs is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, the decision to close the LaVergne plant has been made. ”

The closing of the LaVergne plant will affect 700 employees.

According to MTD’s recently released 2025 fact sheetBridgestone’s LaVergne plant, which opened in 1972, has the capacity to build 3,100 TBR tires per day.

It is one of two Bridgestone TBR tire factories in the United States. The other, Bridgestone’s plant in Warren County, Tenn., can produce 9,400 TBR tires a day at full throttle, according to MTD research.

Bridgestone has also announced that it will reduce capacity and workforce at its tire plant in Des Moines, Iowa, and will make “workforce reductions” at its headquarters in Nashville, Tenn.

“Decisions like this are not easy because of the impact it has on our teammates and their families, while optimizing our business footprint for the future,” said Scott Damon, CEO of Bridgestone West and Group President, Bridgestone Americas.

“We are confident that this decision will strengthen our core business, allowing us to operate more efficiently.”

Bridgestone officials add that “by continuously optimizing the company’s footprint and costs, Bridgestone strengthens its competitiveness and focuses on value creation. This approach further enhances the company’s commitment to contribute to American society, the economy, and the mobility of people and goods across the country over the long term.” term.

“Additionally, the company is undertaking restructuring activities in its Latin American operations, which include cost optimization efforts along with reductions in workforce and production capacity at its facilities and business operations in Argentina and Brazil.

“These strategic initiatives for the company’s footprint and cost optimization are part of the “Business Rebuilding Phase 2 from 2024 to 2025 outlined in (parent Bridgestone Corp.’s) Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026).”