GRANITEVILLE, S.C. (April 2, 2013) — Bridgestone Americas has initiated serial production of passenger and light truck tires at the expanded portion of its Aiken County tire plant in Graniteville, where the company invested $346 million over 20 months to expand capacity 50 percent.
The expansion—to 37,750 tires a day—created nearly 300 full-time jobs at the factory, where hourly employment now stands at more than 1,200. The 20-month project involved expanding the 15-year-old plant's floor space 44 percent to 2.42 million square feet.
The first tire out of the presses in the plant's expanded area was a Firestone Transforce HT, according to video footage of the ceremony marking the event.
This expanded capacity is intended to help Bridgestone meet growing demand in key market segments, including UHP and light truck/SUV tires, the company said.