Sumitomo Rubber to idle tire plant in New York

Tonawanda, New York – Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc. is planning to idle production at its Tonawanda tire plant for approximately two weeks as of 20 April, according to a letter to factory employees posted by labour union United Steelworkers Local 135.

In the letter, SRNA said it "strongly believes this temporary closure is both the responsible course of action and the right thing to do" due to the spread of Covid-19.

The move affects roughly 1,300 hourly employees at the car, truck and motorcycle tire factory in the Buffalo suburb.

The plant is scheduled to resume work on 4 May, but SRNA said it "will evaluate if a third week of closure is necessary,” at a later stage.

Hourly workers will receive supplemental unemployment benefits during the closure; salaried employees will work from home provided their work allows them to do so, the letter goes on to say.

SRNA management told USW Local 135 in a Q&A response that there have been no positive Covid-19 cases among the staff and said the company would undertake a "long-term deep cleaning" of the factory before it reopens.

Sumitomo has operated the Tonawanda factory since 2015 when Goodyear and Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. dissolved their 16-year-old business alliance.

The plant originally was opened in 1923 by Dunlop Tyre Ltd. Prior to the formation of the Goodyear-SRI in 1999, the plant was operated by Dunlop Tire Corp.