NY factory that makes Dunlop tires shuttered, 1,500 workers fired as Japanese owner moves manufacturing overseas

 

NY factory that makes Dunlop tires shuttered, 1,500 workers fired as Japanese owner moves manufacturing overseas

The Japanese company that owns tire maker Dunlop shuttered a century-old New York factory — and fired 1,500 workers — as it moved manufacturing overseas.

Sumitomo Rubber USA closed down the Dunlop plant located in Tonawanda, near Buffalo, on Nov. 7.

The closure is the latest blow to the western New York area, which, like much of the Rust Belt, has seen its manufacturing sector decimated by companies shifting production overseas in recent decades.

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The parent company of the Dunlop tire brand closed down a factory near Buffalo, laying off 1,500 workers.Tricky Shark – stock.adobe.com

The company said cost controls and investments in the aging facility were not enough to overcome mounting financial losses, according to Cycle News.

“The plant closure is primarily due to overall facility performance within the increasingly competitive international tire market,” Sumitomo said in a statement to the publication.

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Sumitomo Rubber USA closed down the Dunlop plant located in Tonawanda earlier this month.

“This difficult decision follows a multi-year analysis of the company’s financial situation and general market conditions.”

The company said it sought to find a buyer for the facility, which first opened its doors in 1923, but made the decision to shut down the plant when there were no takers.

Local lawmakers blasted the company, which is said to have spent $140 million in modernizing the plant in recent years.