In a move to “optimize its business footprint, strengthen its competitiveness and enhance the quality of the company’s U.S. operations,” Bridgestone Americas said it's closing down its Truck and Bus Radial Tire Plant in LaVergne, Tennessee, effective July 31, 2025. The plant opened in 1972.
According to Fleet Maintenance affiliate Modern Tire Dealer, Bridgestone’s LaVergne plant has the capacity to produce 3,100 TBR tires per day. The other Tennessee TBR plant in Warren County can make 9,400 TBR tires per day at max capacity.
“[Bridgestone] is working to ensure this transition has no adverse impact on product supply to customers,” a company spokesperson told Fleet Maintenance.
The cost-control measure will impact 700 hourly and staff workers at the plant.
“[These workers] are eligible to apply for other roles within the organization,” the spokesperson said. “USW Master union teammates have preferential hiring rights at the Des Moines, Akron, and Russellville, Arkansas plants. The maintenance union does not have preferential hiring rights.”
Cuts are also expected at the Des Moines, Iowa, agriculture tire plant and on the corporate side in the sales and operations departments.
“Decisions like this are not easy because of the impact it has on our teammates and their families, and at the same time we are optimizing our business footprint for the future,” said Scott Damon, Chief Executive Officer, Bridgestone West and Group president, Bridgestone Americas. “We are confident that this decision will strengthen our core business, enabling us to operate more efficiently.”
The moves are all part of Bridgestone Corp.’s “business rebuilding 2nd stage” outlined in its Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026).
