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Bridgestone Corporation has announced it will invest about three billion baht to expand its auto tyre output in Thailand to meet sales growth at home and abroad.
Capacity at the Japanese-owned Thai Bridgestone Co plant at Nong Khae in Saraburi would rise by 6,000 units to about 36,500 tyres per day by 2010. The Nong Khae plant produces radial tyres for cars and pickup trucks, for both assembly plants and the replacement market. It also exports to Asia, Europe and North America via Japan.
Bridgestone said it would also increase the production capacity of ultra-high-performance and winter tyres, positioned as strategic products. Most would be exported. The Nong Khae plant began production in 1995.
Thai Bridgestone also runs another plant at Rangsit in Pathum Thani to produce 7,000 radial tyres per day for heavy-duty trucks and buses and farm vehicles. It was Bridgestone's first plant in Thailand, starting production in 1969.
Bridgestone opened its third plant, costing 24 billion baht, in 2004 at Amata City in Chon Buri. It began making radial tyres for trucks and buses in May. The Chon Buri plant, operated by Japanese-owned Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co (BTMT), produces 5,000 tyres a day for export. An industry source said that Bridgestone would expand capacity in Chon Buri to 7,500 tyres per day sometime this year.
At the same time, Bridgestone would increase capacity at its Rayong plant, which manufactures steel cord for radial tyres to secure a stable supply of raw materials. The plant, run by Bridgestone Metalpha (Thailand) Co would begin the expansion project this year to 107 tons per day.
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