MONTREAL (Nov. 16, 2009)—Bridgestone Canada Inc. plans to invest $38 million over three years to modernize and improve productivity at its Joliette, Quebec, passenger and light truck tire plant.
The Quebec provincial government is contributing $4.6 million toward the project, which will address productivity, safety and environmental aspects of the plant, a Bridgestone Americas spokesman said.
The modernization project involves new machinery and other measures to enhance productivity at the 44-year-old plant, which specializes in low-profile, larger-diameter tires.
Bridgestone Canada employs 1,200 at the plant, which is rated at 15,800 tires a day.
“By partnering with the Quebec government, we contribute to consolidating and enhancing the excellent reputation of our manufacturing facility,” said Bridgestone Joliette General Manager Robert Verreault, in a statement released by Invest Quebec, the province's industrial development agency.
The company last invested heavily in the plant in 2005-07, when it spent $42 million to expand capacity for high-performance and larger diameter tires.