Off-highway tire manufacturer Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) announced in November 2018 that it is budgeting $100 million to build its first tire plant in the U.S.
Minoo Mehta, president of BKT USA Inc., said 40 sites in several states are being considered, including sites in Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina, states where several plants have opened recently or are under construction. Sites in Alabama, Indiana, and Kentucky also are being considered.
The site will be chosen in January, according to Rajiv Poddar, joint managing director of BKT. He expects site preparation to take three to four months from the day they select the land. The target date for the plant to open is 24 months from the groundbreaking, likely the second quarter of 2021.