NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 26, 2008) — Bridgestone/Firestone's tire manufacturing plant in Aiken County, S.C., is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The radial passenger and light truck tire facility, which began operations in 1999, has since grown to 950 employees, added a number of modifications and produced more than 50 million tires during its decade-long history. Recently the plant has made movements toward becoming a “green” facility, unveiling a forklift fleet using hydrogen-powered vehicles that will completely replace the plant's battery powered forklifts in 2009.
The factory has won several awards over the years, according to the tire maker, including the South Carolina Chamber Safety Excellence award, South Carolina Governor's Quality award and the South Carolina Large Manufacturer of the Year award. It has also been recognized for outstanding safety and health management by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
As part of the celebration, the facility has donated $5,000 to the Aiken Technical College.