Bridgestone Americas Inc. broke ground Aug. 16 on a $550-million project at its truck and bus radial tire plant in Warren County, Tennessee.
The 850,000-square-foot plant expansion will increase capacity and add advanced technologies to make commercial truck and bus fleets cleaner, safer, and more efficient, according to the company. Warren County will be one of the first plants globally to be able to produce Bridgestone's Enliten technology stack as part of the expansion. This tech stack is optimized for rolling resistance and wear.
The company said the project, expected to be completed by late 2026, would add 380 jobs and grow the Morrison, Tennessee, complex to more than 2.8 million square feet. The investment will also allow all tires made in Warren to be equipped with RFID (radio frequency identification) tags that enable more efficient asset management and optimization of fleets' tire investments, including retreading. The plant will incorporate technology for digital readiness in tires, including integrating tire-mounted sensors that support advanced, data-driven insights for more efficient fleet management.
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"Our company and the Warren County Plant team have a vital role to play in the transformation of mobility," said Paolo Ferrari, joint global COO of Bridgestone Corporation and the Bridgestone Americas president and CEO. "This investment will expand the capabilities of this plant and pave the way for Bridgestone to bolster its sustainable solution offerings for fleets."
The Warren County Tire Plant is one of the company's most productive operations globally, according to a press release. The facility shipped its one millionth tire in 1993, just three years after it opened. That same year, the plant produced nearly 2,500 tires per day. The plant made its 70 millionth tire in October 2021.
"Today, with this groundbreaking, we celebrate the commitment and passion for excellence of the teammates, past and present, of the Warren County plant," said Scott Damon, Bridgestone Americas COO. "Through their hard work, Warren County has become a flagship manufacturing facility for our company and a global leader in the commercial tire sector. We are proud of our team for their 33 years of manufacturing excellence in Warren County. Our confidence in the future of Bridgestone's truck and bus tire business is a tribute to the Warren teammates who remain driven to providing our customers with the best tires and solutions in the world."
The expansion supports Bridgestone's E8 commitment, which consists of eight Bridgestone-like values starting with the letter "E" (energy, ecology, efficiency, extension, economy, emotion, ease, and empowerment) that Bridgestone has committed to creating together with employees, society, partners, and customers to realize a sustainable society.
Additionally, Bridgestone says it will invest in AI control technology that increases productivity and the application of knowledge and data in a digital manufacturing environment. Combined, these technologies will help the company achieve its sustainability goals, including carbon neutrality by 2050, according to the press release..
Read more coverage on the Bridgestone expansion from FleetOwner affiliate Modern Tire Dealer, an Endeavor Business Media publication.
