Hwa Fong Rubber to buy and redevelop Sumitomo’s former Tonawanda plant into HF Tonawanda Industrial Park, creating local jobs.
Hwa Fong Rubber, a Taiwan-based manufacturer with a global presence in tire and rubber production, has announced its plan to purchase the former Sumitomo Rubber facility and property located in the Town of Tonawanda, New York.
According to several media reports, the company intends to revitalize the site by transforming it into a modern industrial complex named the “HF Tonawanda Industrial Park.” The park is envisioned as a multi-purpose industrial hub that will accommodate a range of business operations including manufacturing, assembly, logistics, and technology.
In an official statement, Hwa Fong Rubber said that the new industrial park will host a mix of local, national, and international businesses, contributing to the long-term economic growth of Western New York. The company highlighted that the project represents a “robust reuse of a longstanding and important regional industrial site.” Prospective occupants within the park are expected to include companies engaged in automotive-related manufacturing — particularly in rubber products, wheel parts, transmissions, chassis, and related components.
The initiative is projected to generate between 100 and 250 new local jobs in its initial phase, with more employment opportunities anticipated as new operators join the park.
“H.F. Tonawanda Industrial Park is a natural evolution for the former Sumitomo Rubber USA plant location,” said Alex Chiu, Chief Executive Officer of Hwa Fong Rubber (USA), Inc. “We believe this property can successfully transform into a future hub of manufacturing activity and innovation that contributes to both the Western New York and New York State economies.”
Local officials have also welcomed the announcement. Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Emminger called it “a good day” for the community, expressing optimism about the return of industrial operations to the site. “We’re certainly happy that less than a year later, the Sumitomo facility here on Sheridan Drive and River Road will be back in operation, employing people,” he said.
Founded in 1945, Hwa Fong Rubber manufactures a wide range of products including tires for powersports, bicycles, industrial and agricultural equipment, passenger cars, specialty vehicles, trucks, and buses.
The Sumitomo Rubber facility, which Hwa Fong will now repurpose, shut down abruptly in November 2024, resulting in the loss of more than 1,500 jobs. According to media reports, Sumitomo cited rising material and logistics costs, outdated infrastructure, and changing market dynamics as key reasons for the closure. Despite multiple rounds of cost-control efforts, efficiency improvements, and capital investments, the company said the facility remained unviable.
Former employees, some of whom had worked there for decades, told 7 News that they received little to no warning before the sudden closure of the facility.
