Bridgestone Americas has announced a major expansion and modernization of its Warren County, Tennessee, Truck and Bus Radial (TBR) Tire Plant, located in Morrison.
The $550 million investment will add 380 new jobs and expand the plant’s footprint by 850,000 square feet to support increased capacity and accelerate the use of advanced technologies that support cleaner, safer and more efficient commercial truck and bus fleets.
The addition of these new jobs reinforces Bridgestone’s commitment to American manufacturing, bringing the total number of the company’s manufacturing workforce in the United States to nearly 10,000.
RFID-equipped
The investment will also allow for all tires made in Warren to be equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that enable more efficient asset management and optimization of fleets’ investments in tires, including retreading.
The plant, which makes commercial truck and bus tires, will incorporate technology for digital readiness in tires, including the integration of tire-mounted sensors that support advanced, data-driven insights for more efficient fleet management.
Bridgestone will also invest in artificial intelligence (AI) control technology that increases productivity and the application of knowledge and data in a digital manufacturing environment. These technologies will help accelerate the company’s progress toward its sustainability goals, including carbon neutrality by 2050.
Construction Schedule
The expansion of the 32-year-old facility is expected to begin before the end of this year, with construction expected to be substantially completed by May 2024. Employment will grow from 1,100 to more than 1,400 workers, and the plant’s footprint will grow from 1.97 million square feet to more than 2.8 million square feet.
“With new investment and new jobs, we are moving our Warren County Plant forward, driven by growing demand for our products, our commitment to investing in U.S. manufacturing, and our Warren team’s dedication to innovation, efficiency and quality for our customers. We appreciate the state of Tennessee and Warren County’s committed partnership, which we celebrate today as an essential element of this plant’s continued success,” said Paolo Ferrari, President and CEO of Bridgestone Americas. “Our Warren County Plant team plays a vital role in supporting our company’s commitment to providing safe and sustainable mobility solutions.”
According to the company, the Warren County Tire Plant is one of Bridgestone Americas’ most productive operations globally.
The facility shipped its 1 millionth tire in 1993, only three years after it opened. That same year, the plant produced nearly 2,500 tires per day. The plant produced its 70 millionth tire in October 2021.
“Our production and manufacturing capabilities continue to evolve with our products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Scott Damon, Chief Operating Officer of Bridgestone Americas. “We are proud of our team for their 32 years of manufacturing excellence in Warren County, and our continued success is a tribute to the Warren teammates, who remain driven and committed to providing our customers with the best truck and bus tires in the world. This investment will further improve the plant’s global competitive position and secure our future growth.”
Reprinted with permission of Bus & Motorcoach News. Read the original version of this article.
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