Bridgestone Corp. said Friday it plans to shed some 802 employees at its U.S. subsidiary to cope with slowing demand for automobile tires.

According to the firm, it will cut 543 employees who produce tires for cars and light trucks at Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC's factory in La Vergne, Tenn.

These employees at the plant will be retired in stages over a period of time from mid-March, company officials said.

The tire manufacturer also said it will lay off 259 employees for production of tires for large trucks and buses at the same plant.

The move will reduce the workforce at the La Vergne plant to below 1,000 from about 1,700 as of last month.