Firestone to close down six plants, idling 7,000

The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company announced plans Wednesday to close five tire plants and a synthetic latex plant permanently as part of a restructuring of its North American tire operations, idling 7,000 employees. The planned action will require an after-tax charge of $49 million, or 85 cents per share, to second-quarter earnings, according to chairman and chief executive officer Richard A. Riley. Tire production will be discontinued in Dayton and Barberton, Ohio; Los Angeles and Salinas Calif.; and Pottstown, Pa. The synthetic latex plant is in Akron