Bridgestone Americas Inc. has broken ground on the $60 million expansion of its tread rubber manufacturing plant in Abilene, Texas.
The 50,000-square-foot expansion, which was announced this past September, "is aimed at the growing demand for the company’s tread rubber products, driven by the rapid growth of its retread business," say Bridgestone officials.
"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," they add.
"Today is a significant day for all of us at the Abilene Bandag plant and across Bridgestone Americas, as we break ground on this important expansion that will allow us to grow our production capabilities to meet the needs of our customers,” says Billy Fralick, the plant's manager.
“We’d like to thank the Abilene community for its support over the last 52 years.We’re excited to begin this next chapter in our plant’s history.”
Fralick was joined at the event by several Bridgestone executives, including Chris Daniel, executive director, Bandag manufacturing, and Jason Roanhouse, vice president, Bandag North America.
"Today, we celebrate the growth and commitment of this plant and this community, with new investment and a physical expansion driven by growing demand for our products and, just as fundamentally, by this team’s commitment to delivering innovation and superior quality for our customers here and around the world,” says Daniel.
