USA: Bridgestone investing $550 million in TBR production

Bridgestone Americas will spend US$550 million over the coming two years on the expansion and modernisation of its Warren County truck and bus radial tyre plant in the US state of Tennessee. The project will add 380 jobs to the Warren County workforce and expand the plant’s existing footprint by 850,000 square feet (around 79,000 square metres).

In addition to modernising the 32-year-old factory and increasing its capacity, the investment will also allow for the equipping of all tyres made there with RFID (radio frequency identification) tags. The plant will incorporate technology for digital readiness in tyres, including the integration of tyre-mounted sensors that support data-driven insights. Bridgestone will also invest in AI control technology that increases productivity and the application of knowledge and data in a digital manufacturing environment.

Workforce growing almost 30%

Bridgestone will begin work on the expansion project before the end of this year, with construction expected to be substantially completed by May 2024. Employment will grow from 1,100 to more than 1,400 and the plant’s footprint will grow from 1.97 million to more than 2.8 million square feet (183,000 to 260,000 square metres). In total, it will bring Bridgestone’s manufacturing workforce in the USA to nearly 10,000.

“With new investment and new jobs, we are moving our Warren County Plant forward, driven by growing demand for our products, our commitment to investing in US manufacturing, and our Warren team’s dedication to innovation, efficiency and quality for our customers,” states Paolo Ferrari, president and chief executive officer, Bridgestone Americas. “We appreciate the state of Tennessee and Warren County’s committed partnership, which we celebrate today as an essential element of this plant’s continued success.”

Bridgestone Warren County aerial
Caption: The project will add almost 80,000m² to the Warren County facility (Photo: Bridgestone Americas)

32 years, 70 million tyres

Bridgestone considers the Warren County tyre factory to be one of the company’s most productive operations globally and comments that the plant has a long history of outstanding performance and best practices in manufacturing. The facility shipped its one millionth tyre in 1993, only three years after it opened, producing nearly 2,500 tyres per day that year. The plant made its 70 millionth tyre in October 2021.

“Our production and manufacturing capabilities continue to evolve with our products to meet the needs of our customers,” says Scott Damon, chief operating officer, Bridgestone Americas. “We are proud of our team for their 32 years of manufacturing excellence in Warren County, and our continued success is a tribute to the Warren teammates who remain driven and committed to providing our customers with the best truck and bus tyres in the world. This investment will further improve the plant’s global competitive position and secure our future growth.”