SALVADOR, Brazil — Bridgestone Corp. has opened its newest plant, a passenger and light truck tire factory in Camacari in Brazil´s state of Bahia.
The facility is Bridgestone´s second in Brazil and took two years to build at a cost of $160 million. It has the capacity to produce 8,000 tires a day and employs 500, according to Bridgestone/Firestone do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., the firm´s Bra-zilian subsidiary.
The plant replaces traditional linear production with a modular system consisting of a small and compact production line, several of which can be located within a facility.
This system allows for higher productivity, enhanced quality control for the entire process and expedited future expansions, according to Rioji Hirokawa, Bridgestone/ Firestone director responsible for the implementation of the Bahia project.