Bridgestone unveils €550m plan to expand TBR production in US

Warren County, Tennessee – Bridgestone Americas has announced a half-billion-dollar expansion project at its flagship tire & bus radial tire production plant in Warren County, which will see the manufacturer targeting further ‘digital readiness’ of products.

In a statement 25 Aug, Bridgestone said it was investing $550 million (€552 million) in the facility to support growing demand in the commercial vehicle sector and to accelerate data-driven solutions for more efficient fleet operations.

Set for completion by May 2024, the project will increase the plant’s footprint by 850,000 square feet to more than 2.8 million square feet and will add 380 new jobs to bring the total number of employees to over 1,400 people. 

Operational since 1990, the plant manufactures 9,100 units per day of TBR tires and the investment is expected to increase capacity by 32%. 

As part of the project, Bridgestone will upgrade technology to allow for all tires made in Warren to be equipped with RFID (radio frequency identification) tags.

This, the tire maker said, enables more efficient asset management and optimisation of fleets’ investments in tires, including retreading.

“The plant will incorporate technology for digital readiness in tires, including the integration of tire-mounted sensors that support advanced, data-driven insights,” the manufacturer said.

In addition, the tire maker will invest in artificial intelligence control technology to increase productivity and the application of knowledge and data in digital manufacturing.

Bridgestone expects such technologies to help it accelerate progress toward its sustainability goals, including carbon neutrality by 2050.

According to the Japanese group, the Warren County plant is one of the company’s “most productive operations globally”.

“Our production and manufacturing capabilities continue to evolve with our products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Scott Damon, chief operating officer, Bridgestone Americas.

“This investment will further improve the plant’s global competitive position and secure our future growth,” he added.

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