Bridgestone Americas Inc. recently completed construction of its Agro Operations Guayule Research Farm in Eloy, Ariz.
The farm will eventually supply guayule biomass for rubber production at the tiremaker’s BioRubber Process Research Center that’s currently being constructed in Mesa, Ariz.
“At Bridgestone, we are committed to helping ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations. Because the demand for tires is expected to increase in the long term, we are investing in identifying ways not only to diversify our natural rubber source beyond the hevea rubber tree, but also to explore other innovative methods to make our products more sustainable,” said Bill Niaura, director of new business development. “Guayule fits the profile perfectly – as it’s both domestic and renewable – and the completed Agro Operations site is a critical piece to delivering on our commitment.”
The Agro Operations farm consists of 281-acres, two greenhouses, a storage building and main research lab.
The farm began growing guayule for research in 2013. Those working on-site will research the genetic improvement and optimized agronomic practices as well as scale-up seed availability for additional production. The team will also build relationships with independent producers.
