Bridgestone to build €180 million OTR tyre plant in Japan

Tokyo - Bridgestone Corp. plans to build a plant for large off-the-road tyres in Japan over the coming two-and-a-half years at a cost of ¥28 500 million (€180 million) to support growing demand for the tyres used in mining and construction.

Bridgestone will build the plant on a 87-hectare site adjacent to its existing Shimonoseki plant in Fukuoka Prefecture. The plant, due on stream in the second half of 2009, will have a daily capacity of 30 tonnes of compounded rubber at full capacity by 2010, Bridgestone said.

The tyre maker has budgeted an additional ¥3500 million (€22 million) to expand capacity for steel cord at its Saga, Japan, plant to support the new OTR tyre capacity.

The new project is in addition to €117 million the company is spending to boost OTR tyre capacity 20 percent at the 36-year-old Shimonoseki plant by early 2008. Together these two projects will boost Bridgestone's capacity by 2010 for large OTR tyres by 40 percent over the current level.

In addition, Bridgestone spent around €100 million through mid-2006 to double capacity for small radial earthmover tyres at its Hofu, Japan, plant.

Putting the new plant adjacent to Shimonoseki will allow Bridgestone to use existing technologies required in the development and production of the ultralarge radial tyres, Bridgestone said.

The company has requested building permits and expects to conclude an agreement in the first half of 2007 following a period of negotiation regarding project details with city officials and approval by the city council.

The new plant will be the company's 52nd in 23 nations.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)

Press release from Bridgestone