Bridgestone Americas’ Wilson, North Carolina, USA, passenger tire manufacturing factory is to be expanded as part of a five-year US$164m investment in newer, more efficient technology. This multi-phase expansion is expected to begin early in 2016.
Phases one and two, which will total nearly US$100m, will focus on the addition of 167,000ft² of manufacturing space to accommodate new tire assembly machines, materials handling systems, curing presses and associated equipment. This will enable it to increase plant capacity by 3,000 tires per day, bringing daily production to 35,000 by 2018.
The new equipment will also enable the plant to respond to the increase in global demand for higher rim size tires, as well as improve quality and productivity while reducing costs.
January 12, 2016
