Bridgestone details ‘modular’ tire production roll-out
Japanese group set to advance BCMA approach at four tire manufacturing plants in 2024
Tokyo – Bridgestone Corp. has set out the details of its 'modular' tire production strategy, using the group's recently introduced 'Bridgestone commonality modularity architecture' (BCMA).
Bridgestone said it is pioneering the adoption of BCMA at four tire plants: in Burgos, Spain; Joliette, Canada; Nong Khae, Thailand; and Tochigi plant in Japan.
At its Burgos plant, for example, Bridgestone information shows a target to achieve a BCMA deployment rate of 60% by 2026.
Benefits are expected to include: reduced changeover man-hours through module sharing; more streamlined production planning and product development; and much lower conversion costs.
Similar goals are listed for Bridgestone's lead facility in Tochigi, with BCMA deployment at the Japanese site expected to reach 80% in 2026 – up from 30% in the current year.
Deployment of the modular approach at the Thailand facility is to reach 30% by 2026, while the group's document did not include a target figure for its plant in Canada.
During the 2024-2026 mid-term business plan, the group aims to switch 50% of its global passenger car tire production to BCMA, according to a 28 June Bridgestone statement.
BCMA, claims Bridgestone, supports "ultimate customisation" by consolidating tire parts into three modules and sharing them among different products. (See previous ERJ report)
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