Buried behind the headline-grabbing announcement of its $1.2 billion investment in South Carolina was word that Bridgestone Metalpha USA Inc. was spending $75 million to upgrade its tire cord-making capabilities.
The plant in Clarksville, Tenn., will begin producing steel cord for radial OTR tires in 2015, which will support the all-new radial OTR plant Bridgestone Americas is building in Aiken County, S.C.
The Bridgestone Metalpha USA investment will increase daily output by 10%, expand the plant’s size by more 123,077 square feet, and create 36 hourly and nine salaried jobs.
“This year the Bridgestone Metalpha Clarksville facility celebrated its 15th anniversary, and we can think of no better way to cap off this commemorative year than with this announcement,” said Masami Kikuchi, president and CEO.
Site preparation and construction in Clarksville will begin in the first quarter of 2012 with construction completion expected by the end of 2014. Installation of the manufacturing equipment will begin in the first quarter of 2013. The additional production is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2015, reaching full production capacity early in 2020.
