Bridgestone Corporation is investing ￥10.2 billion (approx. $94.3 million) to install new equipment for certain facilities at its Shimonoseki, Japan plant, the company’s flagship production base for tires made for mining and construction vehicles (OTR tires).
Installation of the equipment is set to begin in 2022 and be completed by the end of 2025, the company says. Bridgestone says the new equipment will enhance the company’s production system in terms of safety, disaster preparedness, eco-friendliness, quality and productivity.
The equipment will be installed together with new infrastructure that will further contribute to the group’s implementation of its “Sustainability Business Framework” roadmap, Bridgestone says, which entails linking its initiatives for recycling resources and contributing to the realization of a carbon-neutral society with its business model.
Specifically, solar power generation equipment will be installed to increase the portion of the Shimonoseki plant’s electricity generated from renewable energy, reducing CO2 emissions and environmental impacts. In addition, a water purification system will be introduced to convert industrial water used in tire production into drinkable water in order to reduce the impacts on the surrounding environment through the efficient use of water resources.
