Bridgestone Americas receives local funding for Des Moines plant expansion

To quote Tesco’s inescapable catchphrase, every little helps, and Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations’ US$56.6 million expansion project at its Des Moines, Iowa agricultural tyre facility has gained a small boost from the Polk County Board of Supervisors. At a meeting on August 16, this administrative board for the Des Moines factory’s local area approved a $50,000 grant and a $50,000 interest free loan for the project.

“It’s a great project. I’m happy to be able to support this grant to Bridgestone,” commented board member Tom Hockensmith. “It will include 72 new jobs here in the metro – manufacturing jobs, which as you know are pretty hard to come by in this economy.”

The $56.6 million project involves the installation of new machinery in the Des Moines plant in order to increase production capacity for new and existing products. Some $3.6 million from the total will be spent on remodelling the facility, Hockensmith added.