A DEMAND rush for off-road mining tyres is boosting the two expansion projects at the Bridgestone Americas Tyre Operations Bloomington-Normal plant.
The estimated US$ 47 million project will allow the manufacturing plant on Fort Jesse Road to hire more workers and increase its production by 30%.
The plant manufactures both radial and bias tires used in above-ground coal and oil sand mining, and other types of heavy industry work such as construction.
The first expansion, a US$ 19.5 million project, is expected to go onstream in May 2013. A third building machine for the plant and seven new presser stations to cure the tyres in high heat and pressure for 18 hours (depending on their size) will also be in place. The plant will also get an additional station that will add ribbon threading, or the outside thread made of rubber, to tyres.
All these will allow the plant to increase production of its radial tyres, which are used in construction, boat dock equipment and some mining work, from 90 to 120 per day. (RJA)
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