Charlotte area textile company cuts 81 jobs, will outsource the work instead
More than 80 people are losing their jobs in the Charlotte region at two textiles plants as the company moves to outsource part of its work.
Firestone Fibers and Textiles is cutting 81 jobs between two manufacturing sites in Gastonia and Kings Mountain in Gaston County, west of Charlotte, according to an N.C. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act report filed Tuesday with the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Firestone operates under Bridgestone Americas, based in Nashville, Tennessee, according to the WARN letter filed with the Commerce Department.
The company is reducing its output and workforce due to the changes in the global market and supply chain, Bridgestone said Wednesday in a statement to The Charlotte Observer.
Bridgestone will now be outsourcing a product it formerly produced in North Carolina that was then shipped to Joliette, Canada, the company said. A spokesperson declined to identify the product or say where the outsourcing will happen.
It’s the second round of layoffs this month by a Gaston manufacturer. Parkdale Mills in Gastonia, once the world’s largest manufacturer of spun yarn, is closing its factory in Walnut Cove on March 13, cutting 72 jobs.
The majority of the layoffs, 77, will affect workers at the 100 Firestone Lane, Kings Mountain, plant. The majority of jobs are direct cable, as well as production workers, weavers and material handlers.
The layoffs will begin March 27, with 46 jobs cut, with the final separation date on April 28.
All but six salaried employees are represented by United Steeleworkers Local 1133L in Kings Mountain. The Kings Mountain plant currently has 261 employees and Gastonia has 28, Bridgestone said.
Recent fire at Gastonia textile plant
Firestone Fibers in Gastonia recently experience another setback.
On Dec. 31 after 9 p.m., a fire erupted at the Gastonia plant at 315 S. Dalton St. No injuries were reported. Firefighters determined the blaze was unintentional, but the cause remains under investigation.
Bridgestone declined to provide an update or more information about the fire.
In September 2014, the same Firestone plant in Gastonia also had a fire, blamed on pieces of insulation surrounding the chimney that ignited, which caused debris inside the chimney to catch fire. No injuries or major damage was reported.
About Firestone Fibers and Textiles
Firestone opened its first plant in 1935 in Gastonia, according to the company’s website. The Kings Mountain plant opened in 1992.
Firestone makes tire cord and industrial fabrics for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, Firestone Airide and other commercial businesses.
