Bridgestone EMEA has announced a historic investment of up to 207 million euros in its Burgos tyre manufacturing site in Spain, one of its largest to date in Europe. The investment aims to raise tyre manufacturing to the highest level of excellence and sustainability.
Bridgestone Invest in Burgos Plant
This ambitious project involves technological innovation plans that will be delivered between now and 2030. This investment reflects a commitment to the production of high-value High Rim Diameter (HRD) tyres (18” and above), with a significant productivity increase of around 20% compared to the current set-up. This increase in manufacturing capacity will help Bridgestone Europe meet customers’ demand for premium and high-tech tyres.
The new technology transformation will focus on three axes: automation for higher productivity; increase in vulcanisation capacity; and the creation of an automatic high bay warehouse to increase the stock of newly manufactured tyres which will provide more flexibility in production. By introducing BCMA (Bridgestone Communality Modularity Architecture), the company will also improve agility in its production processes and ensure further simplification for efficiency.
The Burgos manufacturing facility, which has one of the largest production capacities for Bridgestone passenger car tyres globally, will see a 75% increase in its HRD tyre production capacity to more than 7 million premium tyres. In addition, this transformation will see the Burgos plant become one of Bridgestone’s biggest producers of van tyres in Europe.
Emilio Tiberio, West Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Bridgestone West, said: “At Bridgestone, we are moving into a new phase of European and global growth by combining innovation and sustainability at our Burgos facility in Spain. This multi-million-euro investment is aimed at strengthening our premium tyre business by increasing our productivity, logistics autonomy and tyre offering in the high value segments. Furthermore, we are proud to contribute significantly to the economic development of Burgos, Castilla y León and Spain by continuing to strengthen our manufacturing and sustainable footprint in a strategic region for us at the European level”.
This project will strengthen the plant’s capabilities and operations towards 2030 and beyond, providing a long-term employment outlook for the factory in Burgos, as its manufacturing mix will evolve strategically from the traditional small, low rim diameter tyres (LRD), towards the high-value larger ones.
Emilio Tiberio added: “In line with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, this project will fortify the Burgos plant’s capabilities towards 2030 and beyond, ensuring sustainable employment and a strategic evolution towards smart and green manufacturing. These advancements will also accelerate our goal of carbon neutrality (scopes 1 and 2) by 2050. By boosting production and optimising environmental practices through technology, automation, and R&D, the Burgos plant is geared for the future, setting a new benchmark within Bridgestone‘s manufacturing network.”
