Bridgestone to invest $250m in Costa Rica over 5 years, increasing production

Bridgestone Americas’ tyre manufacturing plant in Belén de Heredia, Costa Rica (Photo: Bridgestone)

Bridgestone Americas will invest an additional $190 million to renovate and expand its Costa Rican tyre manufacturing operations. The newly announced funds extend the existing plan to invest $60 million in Belén de Heredia by 2026. Bridgestone will increase its production capacity by 36 per cent, adding more than 160 new permanent jobs.

Alfonso Zendejas, president of Bridgestone Latin America North at Bridgestone Americas said the investment “strengthens” the company’s commitment to Costa Rica, which it sees as “a strategic location for local and global business activities and further contributes to our ability to maximise value for all of our stakeholders.”

Bridgestone said the new investment complements its sustainable growth plan for Bridgestone Costa Rica, which has included an investment of more than $38.5 million since 2020. $36 million of this is used for modernisation and efficiency projects for the tyre manufacturing plant, $2 million for the expansion of the plant in Turrialba, and $0.5 million to strengthen the operations of the Bridgestone Business Services.

Alfonso Zendejas, president of Bridgestone Latin America North (Photo: Bridgestone)

Celso Villalva, vice president of Latin American Manufacturing believes “in the great potential of the Latin American market, as well as the high levels of quality and reliability of the local workforce. Villalva adds that Latin America “will remain one of the most outstanding regions for the company worldwide.”

Referring to its “E8 Commitment” sustainability strategy, Bridgestone said its expansion project embodies the “Extension”, “Economy” and “Ecology” elements, as new machines and manufacturing technologies will be adopted and two fuel-oil boilers will be replaced with electrical alternatives, resulting in more efficient production with zero carbon emissions.

“With the expansion of the plant, we will be able to continue to meet the current and future needs of our customers, focusing on the production of premium tires for domestic and export markets and sustainable solutions with products that will be ready for the digital age,” explained Pablo Jiménez, manufacturing director of Bridgestone Costa Rica, Bridgestone Americas.

Bridgestone’s plant in Belén de Heredia started operations in 1967. It is focused on the production of tyres for passenger vehicles, vans, and trucks for domestic and export markets; and employs around 1,000 people.

Bridgestone also operates Bridgestone Business Services in Heredia with more than 500 employees, the Firestone Industrial Products manufacturing plant in Turrialba, which employs around 250 people, and more recently, a new business unit for trading activities that operates under the Free Trade Zone and employs around 100 people.