International. The expansion in space provides space for additional equipment and allows operations to go from five days a week to six.
Bridgestone Americas announced a $60 million investment to expand its Bridgestone Bandag LLC manufacturing facility in Abilene, Texas.
The 50,000-square-foot expansion of the Abilene plant is aimed at the company's growing demand for tread rubber products, driven by the rapid growth of its retreading business.
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.
Blending operations are expected to be complete and operational by January 2025.
The investment in the facility and additional days of operations increase the plant's production by 16%, reinforcing Bridgestone's commitment to sustainable solutions.
Bandag is a supplier of retreaded tyres for fleets. Bridgestone ensures that retreaded tires not only provide fleets with an economic benefit, but are also an environmentally responsible way to extend the life of tires in any fleet.
Since 1957, Bandag has been responsible for keeping approximately 300 million tires out of the waste system, helping to reduce the material, water and energy use emissions associated with producing a new tire.
In a statement, the company says Bandag's retreading process has also saved 4 billion gallons of oil since it began 50 years ago.
