by Ariel Zilber at New York Post
The Japanese company that owns tire maker Dunlop shuttered a century-old New York factory — and fired 1,500 workers — as it moved manufacturing overseas.
Sumitomo Rubber USA closed down the Dunlop plant located in Tonawanda, near Buffalo, on Nov. 7.
The closure is the latest blow to the western New York area, which, like much of the Rust Belt, has seen its manufacturing sector decimated by companies shifting production overseas in recent decades.
The company said cost controls and investments in the aging facility were not enough to overcome mounting financial losses, according to Cycle News.
“The plant closure is primarily due to overall facility performance within the increasingly competitive international tire market,” Sumitomo said in a statement to the publication…
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