Bridgestone restarts Japan production, TBR tyres given priority

Bridgestone has given further information on restarting production in its factories located in Japan’s Kanto region or north of that region. Production at the company’s Yokohama and Tokyo factories has already recommenced, although electricity supply and other issues are still restricting a return to full production at the Yokohama site. It is anticipated that Bridgestone’s Tochigi, Nasu and Kurioso factories will recommence production on March 16. Deliveries from the Tokyo plant are expected to restart on March 16 and deliveries from Tochigi and Nasu on March 18 or thereafter.

In announcing this schedule, Bridgestone points out that “though there is no critical damage at the factories, there are some facilities or equipment damaged, and earthquake aftershocks have been following.” The tyre maker has also determined that truck and bus tyre manufacture will take priority when production restarts, as these products are most needed for the recovery of the devastated areas in Japan. Bridgestone also says it will “appropriately” cooperate with the rolling blackouts that have been announced, adding: “At the same time, we will endeavour to minimise the impact of the blackouts through the full utilisation of co-generation systems which are installed at each factory.”