Bridgestone gives peek of new race tire plant

AKRON—Bridgestone Americas Inc.'s Cara Adams, a Northeast Ohio native, talked with passion as she described the pride of seeing "made in Akron" stamped on the side of Firestone Firehawk racing tires.

And Adams, the director of Race Tire Engineering and Production at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and Firestone Racing, wasn't alone.

Heritage was a common theme on Nov. 11 when Bridgestone opened its doors for a tour of progress being made at the firm's new Advanced Tire Production Center, under construction on a site a few blocks west of the company's Americas Technical Center in south Akron.

The 80,000-sq.-ft. facility is expected to be finished by year-end, with production scheduled before year-end 2020.

Nizar Trigui, chief technology officer, talked of how Akron and Firestone have been connected to the Indianapolis 500 since the first race. Bridgestone earlier this year extended a deal to be the sole tire supplier to the NTT IndyCar Series, which includes the Indy 500, through 2025.

All of the tires for the series will be produced at the new facility, which is expected to be on stream early next year with testing of race tires to began late next year.

The company said it will take about four years to fully integrate the new site. One official added that there is a lot of new technology being used in the facility, but it will be rolled out slowly to maintain consistency as the company transitions tire production to the new site.

When fully operational, the facility will produce around 30,000 race tires a year, the company said.

Bridgestone also invited famed driver Mario Andretti to the event. Andretti said he has been working with the company since 1968, when, as a rookie driver, he joined a race team that help develop and provide feedback on Firestone tires.

Andretti said Indy drivers push tires through "rigorous" testing, and he felt a sense of pride for the knowledge he learned over the years working with the company.

The facility's main purpose will be to produce the Firehawk tires for the NTT IndyCar Series. Though, the company indicated there would be space to expand at the new site.

The new plant will employ more than 50 race tire builders and manufacturing professionals, who work in the company's current race tire plant, located a mile or so north in the original Firestone Plant One building, Adams said.

Trigui said the company also would be able to work on some experimental tires in the facility, which is advantageous since the Bridgestone Americas Technical Center is just a few blocks away.

The company broke ground in August on the facility. The project includes the renovation of an existing tire-testing facility, plus new construction. Bridgestone did not disclose its investment in the new factory.

Bogner Construction Co. of Wooster, Ohio, is the project's contracted construction partner.

"The new Bridgestone Advance Tire Production Center will continue a legacy of tire manufacturing in Akron that began with the founding of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. in 1900, as well as a proud tradition of success in racing that dates back to the first Indy 500 in 1911," Ms. Adams told Tire Business last month.