Bridgestone to expand US truck tire plant

Morrison, Tennessee – Bridgestone Americas Inc. is planning to break ground later this year on an expansion that will increase capacity at its Warren County, Tennessee, truck/bus tire plant by about 8 percent.

The $40-million (€35-million) project will increase capacity at the 28-year-old plant Morrison plant to about 9,400 tires per day and add about 32,000 square feet of manufacturing space to accommodate new equipment.

Bridgestone said it expects the expansion to come online by the end of 2020.

The expansion is in line with Bridgestone's efforts "to meet the evolving needs of fleet customers," said Eric Higgs, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations' president of truck, bus and retread tires for the US and Canada. "In addition to increasing capacity, this investment will improve our capability to deliver next-generation products that help make mobility more efficient."

Greg Harris, executive director of commercial manufacturing for Bridgestone Americas, called the Warren County plant one of his company's most productive plants, and said the investment will allow it to "respond to changing global market trends and increased demand."

Bridgestone did not say how the expansion would affect employment, if at all.

The plant, which has been recognized as an Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection Program Star site for its health and safety record, employs 933 production workers. They are represented by United Steelworkers Local 1055.