Bridgestone to farm Guayule in Arizona

ERJ staff report (DS)

Tokyo -- Bridgestone has selected a site in Arizona to begin a farm and research project into the hevea replacement, guayule.

This project is being accomplished by Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) in collaboration with Bridgestone Corporation (BSJ). BATO has completed acquisition of a 281-acre agricultural site in Eloy, Arizona, to serve as the base of its agricultural research operation. This research farm will supply guayule for the company's process research center that is planned for nearby Mesa, Arizona.

The process research center, anticipated to be built in nearby Mesa, will be home to a staff of 32 researchers and technicians and to the process that converts the guayule shrub into tyre-grade rubber. Groundbreaking for the research center is planned to take place in early 2013. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2014, with trial rubber production starting in 2015.

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Press release from Bridgestone