CLEVELAND — Bridgestone Americas, Inc. announced Wednesday that it plans on building a new, state-of-the-art race tire manufacturing facility in Akron.
The Bridgestone Advanced Tire Production Center will be located across the street from the Bridgestone Americas Technical Center, 10 East Firestone Blvd, and less than a mile from the Bridgestone Advanced Technology Workshop, according to a news release from the company.
There are currently more than 50 expert tire builders and manufacturing professionals at the Advanced Technology Workshop.
A local historian told News 5 media partners at the Akron Beacon Journal that this new plant is likely Akron's first new tire plant since at least World War II.
All race tire manufacturing will move to the new facility over the next four years.
Early plans predict the site will produce its first Firestone Firehawk race tires for testing in the NTT IndyCar Series by the end 2020.
"The Akron community and race tire development have each played significant roles in our company’s past, and they will continue to drive innovation for us in the future,” said Nizar Trigui, chief technology officer, Bridgestone Americas. “We are proud to ensure that Firestone race tires will be built in Akron for many years to come, soon in a new facility that will be as cutting-edge as the tires it produces.”
