PUNE, India—Bridgestone Corp. has begun manufacturing passenger tires at its $540 million Pune factory, and expects production of truck tires to begin at the site in October.
Bridgestone India Private Ltd. marked the opening with ceremony Feb. 5 with company and local government officials. The tire maker broke ground on the plant in 2010.
Daily passenger tire capacity at the 8.1-million-sq.-ft. plant is expected to reach 10,000 units by the end of 2014, Bridgestone said. Daily capacity for truck and bus radials should reach 3,000 by mid-2017.
At the ceremony, Kazuhisa Nishigai, Bridgestone's chief operating officer and representative board member, said the plant will help the company offer its customers in India a higher level of service and supply and will strengthen its ability to supply tires to Indian customers.
The plant, in Maharashtra State, opened with 500 employees for the start-up phase. Bridgestone did not disclose how many employees there will be at full capacity.
The plant is Bridgestone's second India.