Bridgestone to lift China tire plant output by 50%

Shanghai, April 14 (Gasgoo.com) Bridgestone Corp announced on Monday it will raise its production capacity of passenger car tyres at its South China plant by around 50 percent, reported Kyodo News.

Daily production at Bridgestone (Wuxi) Tire Co. Ltd. plant will be raised by 4,200 units to 12,000 units beginning sometime between July and December 2011. Total investment in the project was US$98 million.

Chao Arakawa, president of Bridgestone, said that the company has a long-term goal of strengthening the supply capacity for the Chinese market, and at the same time responding to growing market demand.

The company has recently received approval from China's industry authorities for investment in the project, which is expected to come on stream starting the second half of 2011.

Production at the Bridgestone's $99-million Wuxi plant began in July 2004. It has 820 employees.

The Wuxi plant is one of four tire plants Bridgestone operates in China. It also has domestic capacity for steel cord, synthetic rubber and carbon black.