Bridgestone announces $550M investment at Morrison tire plant

Bridgestone Americans announced the company will invest $550 million in a major expansion and modernization of its truck and bus radial tire plant in Morrison, creating 380 new jobs. Bridgestone’s investment strengthens the global competitiveness of the company’s U.S. manufacturing operations and commitment to its U.S. labor force. The new jobs will increase its existing headcount of 1,100 to more than 1,400, and bringing the total number of Bridgestone’s U.S. manufacturing workforce to nearly 10,000. The 850,000-square-foot expansion is slated to begin before the end of the year, with construction expected to be substantially completed by May 2024. Once finished, the facility’s footprint will grow from 1.97 million square feet to 2.8 million square feet.  The $550 million investment will allow for all tires made in Morrison to be equipped with RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, which will enable more efficient asset management and optimization of fleets’ investment in tires, including retreading. The plant will also incorporate technology for digital readiness in tires, including the integration of tire-mounted sensors that support advanced, data-driven insights for more efficient fleet management.