Bridgestone Opens Carbon Black Plant in Thailand

Bridgestone has officially opened a new carbon black plant in Thailand. According to the company, the facility will operate as Bridgestone Carbon Black (Thailand) Co, Ltd, a wholly owned member of the Bridgestone Group. The company says the new Ban Khai Plant, which began operation in May, exports carbon black to Bridgestone tyre plants in Japan and other countries. Bridgestone says it has invested about 1.7 billion Thai baht (approximately £22.5 million) in the plant.

Officials attending the ceremony included Saner Chanthra, governor of Rayong Province, and other government and municipal officials. Representing Bridgestone were Hiroshi Kanai, executive vice president, Akira Inohara, vice president and senior officer responsible for purchasing. Kanai emphasized Bridgestone’s commitment to ensuring the success of the Ban Khai Plant when he said: “We are determined to position this new plant as an Asian and as a global paragon of manufacturing carbon black.”

Situated in the Ban Khai district of Rayong province, roughly 180 kilometres south of Bangkok, the new site covers about 15 hectares where approximately 110 employees will manufacture 40,000 tons of carbon black each year.