Jan. 23--TOKYO -- Bridgestone Corp. said Friday it has decided to slash 543 employees at its U.S. subsidiary's factory in La Vergne, Tennessee, to cope with slowing demand for automobile tires.

Bridgestone said the employees producing tires for passenger cars and light trucks at Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC's plant will be retired in stages over a period of time from mid-March.

Bridgestone also said it will lay off 259 employees for production of tires for large trucks and buses at the plant.

The move will reduce the workforce at the La Vergne plant to below 1,000 from about 1,700 as of last month.

-----

To see more of Kyodo News International, go to http://www.kyodonews.com

Copyright (c) 2009, Kyodo News International, Tokyo

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

BRDCY, 5108,

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.