Bridgestone Americas has officially broken ground on a 50,000-square-foot addition to its 200,000-square-foot Bridgestone Bandag plant in Abilene, Texas.

The US$60-million project will support six- and seven-day production schedules and add new mixing operations by January 2025.

Bridgestone says the investment and additional operating days will increase the plant’s output by 16%.

“Today we celebrate the growth and commitment of this plant and this community, with new investment and a physical expansion driven by growing demand for our products and, just as fundamentally, by this team’s commitment to delivering innovation and superior quality for our customers here and around the world,” said Chris Daniel, executive director – Bandag manufacturing, Bridgestone America.

“Our company and our Abilene team have a vital role to play in the transformation of mobility brought forth by a desire of building greener retreads, while helping maximize fuel efficiency for fleets.”