Firestone Liberia plantation to lay off 500 workers

Harbel, Liberia – Firestone Liberia, the indirect natural rubber-growing subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, is laying off approximately 500 workers at its plantation in Harbel.

This represents about 7 percent of the plantation workers, according to a Firestone Liberia press release issued July 28. This is the first major layoff Firestone Liberia has made since the 1980s, according to the company.

A number of factors have created “ongoing significant and unsustainable losses” at the plantation that necessitated the layoffs, according to Firestone Liberia.