Tyre maker Bridgestone’s US$60 million investment in Abilene, Texas, will support the rapid growth of retread tyre business. The expansion provides room for additional equipment and increases production capacity and days of operation up to seven days a week.
The plant is adding 50,000 sq ft to existing 200,000 sq-ft facility, it adds.
The company recenltly celebrated the expansion of the company’s Bridgestone Bandag facility with an official groundbreaking ceremony today.
The expansion includes an immediate increase in operational activity by running on six and seven-day production schedules, as well as the construction of new mixing operations at the facility. The mixing operations are expected to be completed and in operation by January 2025. The investment in the facility and the additional days of operations increase the plant’s output by 16%, furthering Bridgestone’s commitment to sustainable solutions, it adds.
Bandag is an industry leading supplier of retread tyres for fleets, which are said not only to provide fleets an economic benefit, but also are an environmentally responsible way to extend the life of tyres in any fleet.
Since 1957, Bandag has been responsible for keeping approximately 300 million tyres out of the waste system, which helps reduce material emissions, water and energy use associated with the production of a new tire. The Bandag retreading process has also saved four billion gallons of oil since it began 50 years ago.
The Bandag plant in Abilene, which celebrated 50 years of operations in 2021, continues to be a steady fixture in production of pre-cured truck tread, rubber cement and solvent packaging. Bridgestone says its investment will build upon the plant’s existing 200,000 sq-ft blueprint and provide capacity needed for future production.