Bridgestone Unveils New Machinery in Australia

Bridgestone Australia Ltd has unveiled a new Tyre Assembly Machine (TAM) at its Salisbury, Australia facility. According to the company, the new TAM represents a “significant investment” and will be used to manufacture 17 inch tyres, which are currently sourced from outside Australia.

The new machine was officially unveiled by the chairman and CEO of Bridgestone Australia Ltd, Makio Ohashi. The ceremony was also an opportunity to mark the Salisbury facility’s 40th anniversary.

Since opening in 1965, the Salisbury plant has manufactured more than 70 million passenger and light truck tyres and 2 million truck and bus tyres. The plant has also contributed much in the way of employment to the local area, with more than 6,000 people estimated to have worked at the facility since it opened. Currently, more than 650 people are employed at the site.

Mr Ohashi said the new TAM was part of an overall $18 million investment, planned by the company in Australia this year. “17 inch tyres are becoming increasingly popular in Australia and this new machine will enable us to meet this growing market with locally made tyres,” he said.

“It also represents an exciting new stage in the long and proud history of the facility as this is the first time 17 inch tyres will have been manufactured at Salisbury. I am extremely pleased to bring this new investment on-stream and, at the same time, celebrate 40 years of the plant.”