There have been several significant tire plant capacity expansions announced over the last few weeks, as well as one plant closure. Here are details and links for more info.
Bridgestone has completed its new in Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia and expects to start the plant by year-end 2016, with ramp-up through 2018 to 12K units/day of winter passenger car tires. (Tire Business)
Goodyear is considering investing in Topeka, Kansas. (Rubber & Plastics News)
Sumitomo is investing $87M to double capacity for car and light truck tires to 10K u/d at Tonawanda, NY. (Rubber & Plastics News)
Qingdao Sentury will spend $530M to build a new PC/LT tire plant in Lagrange, Georgia. Another huge new project for the growing US tire industry. (Modern Tire Dealer)
Goodyear is adding capacity for aircraft tires at its car and truck tire plant in Bangkok, Thailand in a project valued at $162M. (Rubber & Plastics News)
Finally, Sameer Africa Ltd., which is the former Firestone East Africa Ltd., will shut down its 47-year-old factory in Nairobi, Kenya and will outsource production to China and India. This was Kenya’s only tire plant, producing car, light truck, truck/bus, agricultural, and off-road tires. (Rubber & Plastics News)