From Rubber & Plastics News
Tokyo-Bridgestone Corp. has inaugurated production at its third tyre plant in Thailand, a truck and bus radial factory rated initially at 2500 tyres a day.
The facility in Chonburi represents an investment of more than $200 million, Bridgestone said. Capacity will be doubled to 5000 tyres a day by year-end 2006, the firm said. Employment is 500 at startup, Bridgestone said.
The output will be exported to the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other Southeast Asian nations, Bridgestone said.
This latest plant operates as Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary. Bridgestone's other tire factories in Thailand, in Rangsit/Pathum Thani and Nong Khae/Saraburi, operate under Thai Bridgestone Co. Ltd., which Bridgestone owns with minority Thai partners.
The Nong Khae facility is being expanded as well, to 28 000 passenger tyres a day by year-end from 18 000 at a cost of $80 million.
