Michelin North America announced Thursday, June 25, that it will close its BFGoodrich tire manufacturing plant in Tuscaloosa by the end of 2028, a move that will affect about 1,200 employees.
The company said the planned closure stems from “structural inefficiencies and increasingly competitive recreation/off-road markets,” with nearly all BFGoodrich production in the United States being consolidated at its Fort Wayne, Indiana, facility.
“Because of the dedication of our teams in Tuscaloosa, BFGoodrich Tires is celebrated as a pioneering American brand, and an enduring symbol of car and truck culture,” Terry Redmile, Michelin’s senior vice president for manufacturing operations in the Americas, said.
“Due to the size, footprint and infrastructure of the Fort Wayne factory, that site is better positioned to consolidate the capacity and meet future demands for the success of BFGoodrich Tires,” Redmile said. “Unfortunately, we could not identify any feasible structure that would enable us to continue operating in Tuscaloosa while also supporting long-term value creation across our factories in North America.”
The closure threatens to harm Alabama’s automotive manufacturing industry while eliminating the seventh-largest employer in Tuscaloosa County. Several Democratic officials at the local, state and national levels expressed alarm over the announcement.
“This morning, I learned about Michelin North America’s decision to close the Tuscaloosa County BFGoodrich plant,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox told the Tuscaloosa Thread in a recent statement. “My heart is heavy for the thousands of families who will be affected by this decision.”
“While the full impact is not yet known, I want to assure our community that the city of Tuscaloosa will stand side-by-side with our state and local partners to support affected workers, stabilize our economy, and determine the best path forward,” Maddox said.
United States Representative Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, said she was “deeply saddened” by the announcement.
“This plant has provided good-paying jobs and helped grow Tuscaloosa’s middle class for generations,” Sewell said in a statement. “This is devastating news for so many families, but the people of Tuscaloosa are resilient. Time and again, this community has overcome challenges by standing together, and I know we will do it again.”
Sewell tied the plant’s closure to broader economic struggles facing working-class Americans and Alabamians under the second Trump administration.
“At the same time, we cannot ignore the broader economic challenges facing Alabama,” Sewell said. “While the Trump Administration promised to bring back manufacturing jobs, their policies have done just the opposite. Since Trump took office, Alabama exports have dropped by $3 billion, manufacturing plants have closed, and costs have continued to rise for working families. We must do better for the people of Alabama.”
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones also released a statement mourning the loss of the BFGoodrich plant and the effect its closure will have on the local economy.
“For 80 years, the Michelin BFGoodrich plant has been an anchor in Tuscaloosa County, employing generations of hardworking people,” Jones said. “With news of its closure by 2028, thousands of workers will be laid off. I’m devastated, not just for the families affected, but the entire community. This couldn’t come at a worse time. Prices continue to climb, people are losing jobs, and our economy has yet to improve.”
“Alabama’s middle class is disappearing, while leadership in Montgomery does nothing but watch it happen,” Jones said. “This is what happens when a state has no real plan to protect working families. We need a fundamental change to keep manufacturing jobs here, train our workforce for what comes next, and build an economy that doesn’t leave Tuscaloosa, or any community, behind.”
Michelin said transition plans are still being finalized at the Tuscaloosa plant, with no layoffs expected for several months. The company is expected to meet with union leaders soon to discuss separation benefits, with more details to be announced.
