Bridgestone closes golf ball plant in the USA

Many tire companies produce not only tires themselves, but, for example, Bridgestone has a division called Bridgestone Golf, which produces golf balls, rackets and other equipment for golf. However, apparently, everything is not going very smoothly in this segment, and it has been announced that the Bridgestone Golf plant in Covington (Georgia, USA) will be closed on June 30, 2026. The enterprise was launched in 1990, and 86 people employed in production will lose their jobs.

The company notes that over the past 40 years, Bridgestone Golf has significantly expanded its presence in the local market and "made an important contribution to the development of golf in North America", and the decision to close the plant was made "after a thorough analysis of the growing volatility in global markets and problems related to supply chains, operational efficiency and cost management''.

"Bridgestone Golf regularly evaluates all aspects of its activities, taking into account market realities, to maintain competitiveness," the company says, adding that the closure of the plant is part of a strategy aimed at strengthening the business in the golf products segment.

"The North American golf equipment market is the largest in the world and remains critically important to Bridgestone," said Shunsuke Kunihisa, president of the Bridgestone Sports division, which includes Bridgestone Golf. "While this decision was incredibly difficult, we are confident that it will strengthen our global supply chains and open up new opportunities for investment and ensuring the company's long-term growth''.