Leading tire maker Bridgestone has laid off 551 employees in Hsinchu,
including 360 Taiwanese and 191 foreign workers, as the company shuts down
its factory there.

The company said it is launching an operational transformation in Taiwan in
response to adjustments in its global business strategy and long-term market
development needs.

It has promised to offer a severance package that's better than what the
labor law requires.

The company arranged buses yesterday to take workers to four locations for
severance negotiations, with the first round of layoffs expected to begin in
July.

Bridgestone, a well-known Japanese tire company, established the factory in
Hsinchu 44 years ago, and most of the employees are middle-aged or older
people who have worked there for more than a decade.

Facing fierce competition from China and Southeast Asian countries, the
company said it had to make the decision, but it'll still operate sales and
services here in Taiwan.

(JL)