S8 Capital set to acquire the Russian Bridgestone tyre factory

S8 Capital, which recently acquired the Continental plant, is set to acquire the Bridgestone tyre plant in Ulyanovsk, Russia and become the country’s second-largest tyremaker. According to the Pravda newspaper, the acquisition marks the continuation of S8 Capital’s expansion into the tyre industry. Post-acquisition S8 Capital will be second only to Tatneft, which acquired a Nokian Tires plant in the Leningrad region earlier this year, in terms of tyre manufacturing capacity.

According to Pravda, the successful acquisition of the Continental plant in Kaluga and the Cordiant plants in Omsk and Yaroslavl with a total capacity of 13 million tyres per year has strengthened S8’s  position in the market. Now, with the acquisition of the Bridgestone plant, their total annual tyre production capacity will reach 15.4 million units.

Located in the Zavolzhye Industrial Park in Ulyanovsk, the Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing plant currently produces 2.4 million tyres per year and has a design capacity of 4.2 million tyres per year. The plant specializes in the production of tyres ranging in size from 13 to 19 inches, designed for passenger cars, crossovers, SUVs and serving as primary equipment for car manufacturers.