Continental has announced significant structural changes within the ContiTech division, affecting various German locations throughout 2025. The planned adjustments involve halting production in Bad Blankenburg (Thuringia), Stolzenau (Lower Saxony), and Moers (North Rhine-Westphalia), ceasing toolmaking activities in Frohburg and Geithain (Saxony), and scaling back operations of the Original Equipment Solutions (OESL) in Hamburg, Germany. Additionally, a production line at the ContiTech site in H...

Bridgestone Americas, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, announced the closure of its Truck and Bus Radial Tire Plant in LaVergne, Tennessee, set for July 31, 2025. This move is part of the company's strategic initiatives to enhance its business operations in the US by optimizing its footprint and improving competitiveness. The closure of the LaVergne plant, affecting around 700 employees, is aligned with Bridgestone's ongoing efforts to strengthen its premium tire business and create v...

Japan's Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (YRC) has announced the impending closure of its Prague facility, operated by its subsidiary Yokohama TWS Czech Republic a.s., which focuses on the production and sales of cross-ply off-highway tires (OHT). The Prague plant is a part of YRC's extensive global manufacturing network and has been operational for over 90 years, but it is now slated for closure by June 2025 due to inefficiencies and its reliance on outdated technologies. The strategic program neces...

On Nov. 5, Schaeffler AG's board of managing directors outlined a series of structural adjustments targeted at enhancing the company's long-term competitiveness across its European operations. These adjustments, affecting 4,700 jobs in total — including approximately 2,800 in Germany and 1,900 in other parts of Europe — aim to address challenges such as economic downturns, structural issues and heightened competition, particularly from Asian manufacturers within the automotive supply in...

Japan's Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (YRC) has announced its decision to close its manufacturing plant located at Hadera, Israel, according to a press release dated Nov. 14. This facility is part of YRC's extensive global network of over 30 manufacturing sites and has been operational for more than 70 years. It will cease operations effective Dec. 31. The decision to close the plant is attributed to the changing dynamics within the tire manufacturing industry, particularly the emergence of South ...

Bandag Europe NV, a subsidiary of Bridgestone, has announced its plans to close its retread production plant in Lanklaar, Belgium, by the first half of 2025, according to a press release dated Sept. 12. The decision was made during an Extraordinary Works Council due to a significant decrease in the European retread market over the last decade, leading to production overcapacity and uncompetitive production costs. The decline, accelerated by a 30% drop in demand and the influx of low-cost East...

Sweden-based SKF, a supplier of rolling bearings, seals, mechatronics and lubrication systems, has announced the transfer of product supply from its factory in Busan, Korea to factories in China, India, and Mexico, according to a press release dated. This move is part of the company's strategy to regionalize its operations and better serve its customers. The Busan factory, which employs approximately 90 employees and primarily manufactures bearing products for the automotive industry, will be...

French tiremaker Michelin has announced that it will be closing three production sites in Germany and transferring its customer service center to Poland, due to a lack of competitiveness of its German operations in European and export markets, according to a press release on Nov. 28. The closure will affect 1,532 jobs by the end of 2025. Michelin currently employs over 8,000 people across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The company has included an approximately €425 million provision in i...

Sweden-based SKF, a supplier of rolling bearings, seals, mechatronics and lubrication systems, has confirmed the proposed closure of its factory in Luton, UK, following a consultation process with employees and union representatives, according to a press release dated October 17. The move follows the company’s announcement on May 31 of a consolidation of its spherical roller bearing manufacturing as part of its strategy to invest in automation and regionalization, and “right size its manu...