Bridgestone Bandag Relocating Headquarters Team

Eighteen jobs have been cut at the Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS) site in Muscatine, Iowa in advance of the unit’s partial relocation to Tennessee state capital Nashville. The one and a half dozen workers lost their jobs on November 15 while a further 32 Muscatine employees will transfer to Nashville, where parent company Bridgestone Americas has its headquarters. The changes were announced within the context of a restructure of the company’s North American operations.

“Change is always difficult, but relocating our headquarters team and certain functions to the Nashville area is the right business decision and will align our resources and people in a way that will enable us to better serve our customers,” said Kurt Danielson, who is and remains president of Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions.

While Muscantine’s senior management team and a number of administrative and financial departments are moving to Nashville, some 220 employees will continue working at the Iowa site. Fifty-five people who are not relocating will help during the transition period, which is expected to continue until June 30, 2011. “Our company has a rich heritage in Muscatine, and I’m pleased that we will be keeping certain business functions here, and we will continue to be a part of this community,” added Danielson.