Bridgestone to build carbon black plant in Mexico

Brussels, Belgium - Bridgestone Corp. is planning to build a 35 kt/year carbon black plant in Mexico. The company said the objective is to ensure reliable supplies of high-quality black, which is in increasingly high demand due to expansion of the company's tyre plants worldwide.

Bridgestone said the new plant will be operated by Mexico Carbon Manufacturing SA DE CV, a wholly-owned member of the Bridgestone Group established on September 2, 2005. The plant will be located in Altamira, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Approximately US$81 million (about Euro 63 million) has been earmarked for investment in the new plant, which is scheduled to begin production in June 2008. About 110 jobs wil be created. This will be the Bridgestone Group's third carbon black plant, joining facilities in Japan and Thailand.

Expanding in-house production capacity in raw materials for tyres and diversified products is a strategic priority in the Bridgestone Group. For example, Bridgestone Group companies are producing synthetic rubber in the United States and as announced late last year, a new synthetic rubber plant is currently under construction in China. Also, Group companies produce steel cord in Japan, the United States, Italy, Thailand and China, and operate natural rubber estates in Indonesia and Liberia. The new carbon black plant in Mexico will strengthen the Bridgestone Group's ability to provide stable supplies of raw materials.

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Press release from Bridgestone