TOKYO (Oct. 2) — Bridgestone Corp. is adding capacity for radial aircraft tires at its Tokyo plant, a move that will double the firm´s capacity for such tires by 2011.
Bridgestone said the expansion, for which it has budgeted $42.3 million, is in line with its projections for global demand growth and will help ensure supply risk management. Initial production is expected to start by the second half of 2008.
The company did not disclose capacity information or say how many new jobs might be created by the added capacity.
Bridgestone currently makes aircraft radials only at its plant in Kurume, Japan, which also has capacity for passenger, truck/bus and racing tires. The Tokyo plant makes passenger and truck/bus tires and retreads aircraft tires.
Bridgestone supplies radial aircraft tires to many of the world´s airlines and is an original equipment supplier to both Boeing Corp. and Airbus Industrie.