Tire manufacturer Bridgestone EMEA has announced an investment of up to €207m in its Burgos passenger tire manufacturing site in Spain. The investment is part of Bridgestone’s global initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with the company estimating a reduction of approximately 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions by 2030, compared to current levels.
The investment will focus on upscaling the technological capabilities of the Burgos plant, particularly in the manufacturing of high-value high-rim diameter (HRD) tires, which include sizes of 18in and above. The plant is set to undergo a 75% increase in HRD tire production capacity to more than 7 million premium tires, says Bridgestone.
The plant improvement involves technological changes such as automation for higher productivity, increased vulcanization capacity and the establishment of an automatic high bay warehouse to enhance tire stock flexibility. Bridgestone will also introduce its Bridgestone communality modularity architecture (BCMA), aiming to improve production agility and efficiency.
Bridgestone recently installed more than 20,000 solar panels on the plant’s roof, which the company says can generate 9.2MW of power. This solar energy reportedly contributes between 10% and 14% of the plant’s electrical energy consumption.
Emilio Tiberio, chief technology officer of Bridgestone West, said, “This multimillion-euro investment is aimed at strengthening our premium tire business by increasing our productivity, logistics autonomy and tire offering in the high-value segments. Furthermore, we are proud to contribute significantly to the economic development of Burgos, Castilla y León and Spain by continuing to strengthen our manufacturing and sustainable footprint in a strategic region for us at the European level”.
For more on Bridgestone, click here.
