Bridgestone targets 16 plants for 'premium' upgrades

TOKYO—Bridgestone Corp.'s mid- to long-term growth strategy includes plans to restructure its production processes across global operations in order to raise production capacities for premium tires.

In particular, Bridgestone said recently it plans to reinforce the production of tires based on its Enliten light-weighting technology across passenger car, light truck and truck/bus segments.

Among other initiatives, the plan, disclosed in the firm's 2024-26 Mid-Term Business Plan, would focus investment on 16 plants worldwide whose manufacturing processes will be restructured to produce "premium tires."

Earlier Bridgestone said it would invest upwards of $2 billion in the coming few years to enhance its ability to make premium tires.

One plant in particular that's included in this mix is the company's truck/bus tire factory in Warren County, Tenn., where the firm is in the early stages of a $550 million upgrade and expansion. It's one of five truck/bus tire plants so targeted; the others are in Amagi and Tochigi, Japan; Chonburi, Thailand; and Stargard, Poland.

Passenger/light truck tire plants that will also be upgraded are in Tosu, Hikone and Hofu, Japan; Nong Khae, Thailand; Wuxi, China; Aiken, S.C.; Monterrey, Mexico; Burgos, Spain; and Poznan, Poland, Bridgestone said.

Furthermore, the group is aiming to incorporate its BCMA (Bridgestone commonality modularity architecture) base technology across the plants. The BCMA enables the sharing of tire development modules, while simplifying the supply-chain and allowing more agile R&D and production.

Bridgestone expects to create value and help increase earning power by the integration of Enliten and BCMA as "base technology for design" and "base technology for manufacturing and R&D."

Overall, the group will move to smart manufacturing with "productivity improvement initiatives," while aiming to reduce energy consumption per unit.