Bridgestone reduces production across Europe

ERJ staff report (DS)

Brussels -- Bridgestone Europe has announced further temporary plant shutdowns in Europe. "The worsening market demand during December, January and February, especially at the new vehicle manufacturers, has led us to temporarily shut the plants."

Bridgestone said the plants at Bethune, Bilbao, Burgos, Bari and Poznan will all stop all production for between 5 and 8 days per month during the first half of 2009.

The plant in Hungary remains open, while Bridgestone's new truck plant at Stargard has not yet opened. The company said it continues to keep the agricultural tyre lines open at its Puente san Miguel plant in Spain.

The company said it is taking the action to match production with demand and to ensure stock levels are appropriate to the market situation. In the medium to long term, Bridgestone said it will strive to match its output with demand. The company recognised that it is expensive to run plants at reduced capacity, but said it did not expect to make any permanent layoffs in the next month, and would strive to keep workers employed -- albeit on reduced hours -- for as long as possible.

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Press release from Bridgestone