Bridgestone Americas announces new facility, expansion in Aiken County
September 22, 2011
$1.2 billion investment expected to create more than 850 new jobs
AIKEN COUNTY, SC – September 21, 2011 – During an event today attended by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Bridgestone Americas, Inc., a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, announced the construction of a new 1.5 million-square-foot off-road radial tire (ORR) manufacturing facility on a greenfield site in Aiken County. Bridgestone Americas also announced an additional 474,000-square-foot expansion of the existing passenger (PSR) and light truck (LTR) tire plant in Aiken County. When fully completed, the total $1.2 billion investment in these new projects will increase Bridgestone Americas’ workforce in Aiken County by more than 850 full-time and contractor positions.
The company previously announced a 266,000-square-foot expansion of this plant in July.
The announcement of this greenfield off-road radial tire plant is a major strategic investment by the global Bridgestone Group to enhance its supply systems, improve its sourcing flexibility and further strengthen the Bridgestone Group’s position as the global leader in the off-road radial tire segment, said Gary Garfield, Vice President and Senior Officer, Bridgestone Corporation, and CEO and President, Bridgestone Americas.
The construction of this new ORR plant is part of the company’s global sourcing strategy and will strengthen the ability of the global Bridgestone Group to cement its leadership position in this important market segment.
The new ORR manufacturing facility will be at a greenfield site in the Sage Mill Industrial Park in Aiken County. Previously, large and ultra-large ORR tires had been produced exclusively at Bridgestone Corporation’s Shimonoseki and Kitakyushu plants located in Japan. Bridgestone will install ORR production technologies developed in Japan in the new plant to more effectively respond to customer needs and growing global demand and further improvements in its supply systems. The Bridgestone Group will also have more options for future expansions, improving its ability to rapidly respond to changes in the operating environment and customer requirements.
Today’s announcement represents the largest initial capital investment by a company in our state’s history, and we celebrate the more than 850 new jobs. This is a continuation of the good work we are doing to partner with companies. South Carolina has a great reason to smile today, said Gov. Nikki Haley.
The plant will be built with a focus on the environment and plans to achieve LEED Construction Certification by incorporating state-of-the-art technology in its facility and equipment design.
Bridgestone Americas is a world-class manufacturer and this investment will be a real game-changer. The company’s new plant will further strengthen South Carolina’s manufacturing sector, and shows that our business-friendly environment and top-notch talent continue to keep us competitive with locations across the globe, said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce.
The capacity expansion at the existing Aiken County PSR/LTR tire plant announced today, along with the earlier expansion announcement in July, is intended to meet growing demand in key market segments, including ultra-high performance and light truck/SUV tires. The addition of new, more advanced tire building machines will provide the plant with an additional level of versatility and will give the plant even greater flexibility and speed in responding to shifts in market demand. Over the long term this versatility and flexibility will help the company address customer needs by improving the fill rates of high-demand tires.
The Port of Charleston congratulates Bridgestone Americas. The Port is key in providing companies a way to reach world markets, and there is not a better place to do that than from right here in South Carolina, said Jim Newsome, President and CEO of the S.C. State Ports Authority.
On behalf of the citizens of Aiken County I want to thank Bridgestone Americas for this significant new investment and job creation being announced, said Aiken County Council Chairman Ronnie Young. The County Council works hard to create an environment where manufacturing companies can locate and be successful. We are grateful for Bridgestone Americas’ confidence in our workforce and community. We look forward to working with them as they continue to grow.
This is a great day for Bridgestone Americas and Aiken County, said Gary Stooksbury, Chairman of the Board of The Economic Development Partnership. We are very appreciative that Aiken County was chosen for this new investment. This historic announcement reflects on the strong partnership that exists between Aiken County and Bridgestone Americas. The strength of our community lies with our manufacturing base.
The South Carolina Department of Commerce provided $15.5 million in grants to the company for infrastructure and site preparation, including about $6 million that was provided to improve public roads adjacent to the facility. The Coordinating Council also approved the project for job development credits.
