News - 2024

Tokyo (November 25, 2024) - Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) today announced that it will make strategic investments to expand capacity in three passenger car tire plants in Japan: the Hikone Plant, the Tosu Plant, and the Tochigi Plant. These are the main production bases for high rim diameter (HRD)^*1 tires for passenger cars in the premium segment. The collective investment will be approximately ¥27 billion with expansion scheduled to start from the beginning of 2025 and be completed by the end of 2028. This strategic investment is expected to increase total production capacity across the plants in Japan by approximately 3,000 tires per day, mainly for tires 20 inches and larger, for which demand is expected to grow.

Bridgestone is accelerating its focus to reinforce its premium tire business for passenger cars with "Dan-Totsu^*2 products". This enhancement and expansion of its production capacity is part of its strategic investment outlined in Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026). It is designed to equip "ENLITEN^*3", its base technology for product design, which the company positions as "The New Premium in the EV Era." Additionally, this initiative aims to strengthen and expand its global production of "ultra" HRD^*4 tires for passenger cars. The company positions Japanese manufacturing as the core of its global operations. By enhancing Japan's R&D manufacturing power, the company aims to further strengthen its earning power and global competitiveness.

In strengthening the premium tire business for passenger cars, Bridgestone is accelerating value creation through the fusion of "ENLITEN", the base technology for pursuing "ultimate customization" in product design, and the "Bridgestone Common Modularity Architecture (BCMA)^*5", the base technology for manufacturing and R&D. BCMA is designed to reduce operational business cost and environmental impact across the entire value chain by simplifying development and production process. For the consumer replacement tire business where a tailwind in HRD tire demand continues, Bridgestone is promoting the development of "Dan-Totsu products" equipped with "ENLITEN" technology. For the original equipment tire segment, the company is reinforcing the approach to premium vehicle model/OEMs, prestige OEMs and premium EVs to connect to replacement business recursion and the adoption of EVs.

Through the reinforcement of the premium tire business for passenger cars, Bridgestone strives to achieve the corporate commitments of "Extension: Committed to nonstop mobility and innovation that keeps people and the world moving ahead," and "Ease: Committed to bringing comfort and peace of mind to mobility life" described in the "Bridgestone E8 Commitment^*6."

Overview of the Hikone Plant

1. Location ：

Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

2. Start of operation ：

March 1968

3. Plant Manager ：

Masato Nakamura

4. Number of employees ：

1,543（as of June 30, 2024）

5. Area ：

656,000㎡

6. Production ：

Radial Tires for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks

7. Production capacity ：

55,600 tires/day（as of July 1, 2024, Radial Tires for Passenger Cars）

Overview of the Tosu Plant

1. Location ：

Tosu, Saga Prefecture, Japan

2. Start of operation ：

July 1970

3. Plant Manager ：

Toshiaki Matsushima

4. Number of employees ：

812（as of June 30, 2024）

5. Area ：

187,147㎡

6. Production ：

Radial Tires for Passenger Cars

7. Production capacity ：

18,800 tires/day（as of July 1, 2024）

Overview of the Tochigi Plant

1. Location ：

Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

2. Start of operation ：

April 1971

3. Plant Manager ：

Masanori Ochi

4. Number of employees ：

967（as of June 30, 2024）

5. Area ：

484,480㎡

6. Production ：

Radial Tires for Trucks and Buses, Passenger Cars, Light Trucks and New Transport Systems

7. Production capacity ：

12,300 tires/day（as of July 1, 2024）

1. U.S., Europe, Middle East: 18 inch & above. Other regions: 17 inch & above
2. "Dan-Totsu" refers to Bridgestone's direction to be the clear and absolute leader.
3. ENLITEN is a technology that evolves environmental performance while expanding basic performance and elevating all conventional performances. It also pursues"ultimate customization" to sharpen the edge in performance which not only meets the apparent needs and potential wants of the markets and customers, but also further inspires markets and customers by creating new value that they may not have imagined, according to the characteristics of diverse vehicles and usage conditions.
4. 20 inch & above
5. BCMA (Bridgestone Commonality Modularity Architecture）
   BCMA supports "ultimate customization" by consolidating tire parts into three modules and sharing them among different products, simplifying the supply chain including development and production. It is Bridgestone base technology for manufacturing and R&D which shortens development and production lead time to agilely provide value to customers while also aiming to reduce business cost including environmental impact.
6. The Bridgestone Group established its corporate commitment, the "Bridgestone E8 Commitment," to help it realize its vision: "Toward 2050, Bridgestone continues to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company." This commitment will serve as the Group's axis to drive management while earning the trust of future generations. The "Bridgestone E8 Commitment" consists of eight uniquely Bridgestone values starting with the letter "E" (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, and Empowerment) that the Group will commit to creating through distinctly Bridgestone purposes and processes, together with employees, society, partners, and customers to help realize a sustainable society.