Bridgestone/Firestone (BFS) Inc. will reduce off-the-road (OTR) tire production at its Bloomington, Ill., plant starting April 1.
"The action is intended to remedy the company's current excess inventory levels that are due to the recent industry-wide downturn in OTR tire sales and the overall slowing of the economy," say BFS officials.
The tiremaker will lay off 100 employees as a result.
"Within the year, we hope that many of these employees will be called back to work as tire sales increase and as excess inventories are depleted," says Ron Brooks, Bloomington's plant manager.
BFS' Bloomington plant can make up to 480 OTR tires a day at full capacity, according to Modern Tire Dealer statistics
