May 11 2005
Bridgestone Corporation has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Bridgestone Europe NV/SA will build a tire plant in Hungary.
Construction of the new plant will begin in 2006, according to the announcement, with production to get under way in 2008. Bridgestone's plans call for production capacity at the plant to reach about 8,000 tires a day in the first half of 2009. The company has earmarked 190 million euros for investment in the project. The plant will produce radial tires for passenger cars and light trucks, and it will be the first European installation of Bridgestone's revolutionary new BIRD production system. BIRD (Bridgestone Innovative and Rational Development) is the first tire production system that automates the entire manufacturing sequence from the processing of materials to the inspection of the finished tires.
Europe is considered to be one of the most advanced markets for the automotive industry in terms of the high-speed driving on the autobahn (expressway), high demand for safety and environment, and consumers' awareness of designs. The Hungarian plant will serve the growing demand for high-performance and large rim size tires for passenger cars in Europe, as well as increasing the group's overall supply capacity there.
When the Hungarian plant begins operation, the Bridgestone Group will have 51 tire plants in 24 nations. That includes three plants already announced in Mexico, Brazil, and China. The Hungarian plant will be the second tire plant in central Europe for the Bridgestone Group, which produces tires in Poznan, Poland.
http://www.bridgestone.co.jp