Opening Ceremony for Tire Retread Materials Plant in Thailand
Tokyo (October 28, 2010) – Bridgestone Bandag Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (BBMT), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, held an opening ceremony today to mark the completion of the company’s newest manufacturing plant located in Chonburi Province, Thailand. The plant will produce precure tread*, a key component in the tire retreading process.
The Bridgestone Group is actively developing a solutions business globally that includes the use of both new and retread tires. The plant will supply precure tread to the growing retread markets in Japan, Asia, and China, and production capacity estimates for the plant are 30 tons per day by the end of 2013. The plant is the first precure tread facility the Bridgestone Group has built since acquiring the U.S.-based tire retread operating company, Bandag, Incorporated, in 2007.
More than 60 representatives from the public and the private sectors attended today’s opening ceremony, including Dr. Atchaka Sibunruang, Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment. Representatives from the Bridgestone Group included Bridgestone CEO and President Shoshi Arakawa and BBMT President Masao Kobayashi.
“I am very happy to be here to celebrate this opening ceremony in Thailand, an important base for Bridgestone’s global operations,” said Shoshi Arakawa as he opened the ceremony. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved, especially the government representatives here today.”
As the global retread market develops, the Bridgestone Group will continue to analyze market trends in order to implement strategic investments that meet the solution-based needs of our customers.
* Retreading enables customers to get the full value of a new tire by reusing the tire’s casing again and again. After the original tread (part of the tire that touches the ground) is worn away, any remaining tread rubber is buffed away and a new precure tread is applied. Precure tread stock is applied to the buffed casing and vulcanized through a process of heat and enveloping pressure.
Compared to new tires, retread tires can make a major environmental contribution in three ways:
| 1. | Retreading contributes to resource conservation. Compared to new tires, retreaded tires can reduce by two-thirds the consumption of raw materials such as natural rubber. |
| 2. | Retreading reduces CO2 emissions generated in the tire manufacturing process. |
| 3. | Retreading reduces the number of tires scrapped by maximizing their total life. |
Outline of BBMT
| 1. Company name | : Bridgestone Bandag Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. |
| 2. Managing Director | : Masao Kobayashi |
| 3. Start of production | : November 2010 |
| 4. Location | : Chonburi Province, Thailand (Approximately 60km southeast of Bangkok) |
| 5. Land area | : Approximately 43,600 square meters |
| 6. Production item | : Retread materials (precure tread) |
| 7. Production capacity | : 30 tons per day (planned by second half of 2013) (Volume of new rubber) |
| 8. Investment amount | : Approximately ¥4.4 billion |
| 9. Employees | : Approximately 100 (planned by November 2010) |
| 10. Ownership | : Bridgestone Corporation 100% |
The plant in Chonburi Province
The Opening Ceremony
About Bridgestone Corporation:
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.
