Bridgestone Opens Synthetic Rubber Plant in China

On December 8 Bridgestone (Huizhou) Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd. (BSRC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, officially opened a facility dedicated to the production of synthetic rubber in China. The new plant, located in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, produces styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and has a projected production capacity of approximately 50,000 tons.

According to a publication produced by the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA), synthetic rubber generally accounts for approximately 20 per cent of a tyre’s overall weight. The SBR produced at the new facility will mainly be used for the part of the tread in contact with the road, and has characteristics that contribute to ensuring vehicle stability when travelling at high speeds without reducing rubber strength.

Demand for high-performance tyres is increasing in Asian countries, including China, comments Bridgestone. As such, the Bridgestone Group predicts increasing demand for synthetic rubber. BSRC, says Bridgestone, will supply superior synthetic rubber through leading technologies and consistent quality management for use in the production of high-performance tyres.

Upon announcing the facility’s opening, the Bridgestone Group reiterated its management goal as to establish its status as the undisputed world number one tyre and rubber company, both in name and reality. To reach this objective, it is working to enhance competitiveness throughout the entire supply chain. By making the most effective use of raw materials and equipment manufactured internally, the Bridgestone Group is able to develop and produce high-quality tyres while ensuring stable costs and supply over the long term. Going forward, the Bridgestone Group will continue aiming for optimum raw material procurement by combining internal manufacture with procurement from external suppliers.