Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (Bridgestone), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation announced its off-the-road (OTR) plant in Bloomington, Illinois is celebrating 55 years of operations this year. The Bloomington Tire Plant began manufacturing tires in 1965 and continues to play a vital role in the local community today by employing 450 people, many of whom are the second generation of their families to work in the plant. Currently, three employees are sons of employees who worked at the Bloomington Plant in 1965.
Today the Bloomington Tire Plant produces off-the-road tires for the construction and mining industry worldwide. In 2018, the company announced a $12 million investment to expand production of popular tire sizes at the plant.
“The Bloomington Tire Plant holds a very unique and proud connection to the Bloomington community and place within the Bridgestone manufacturing footprint,” said Jeremy Gray, Bloomington plant manager, Bridgestone Americas. “This is a milestone that we are proud to reach thanks to the dedication of so many who have invested in our plant – first and foremost, our employees and retirees, as well as the ongoing support of our customers and the local community and state of Illinois.”
Over the years, the Bloomington Tire Plant has been recognized for numerous awards for its dedication to superior quality, performance and safety. In 2019, the Bloomington Tire Plant was recertified as a Star participant as part of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program and achieved the gold level in the Caterpillar Supplier Quality Excellence Process Certification. The plant also has received numerous awards, including the Illinois American Legion Employer of the Year for hiring veterans and a U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s 2017 Improvement Award for achievements in worker safety and health.
Year over year, the Bloomington Tire Plant team demonstrates the Bridgestone global corporate social responsibility commitment Our Way to Serve through partnerships and community volunteer projects with many local organizations including the Children's Home & Aid and McLean County Chamber of Commerce.
“I want to thank all of our Bridgestone employees, past and present, who have contributed to making our Bloomington Tire Plant such a success over the last 55 years,” said Bridget Neal, president, Off-the-Road Tires, Bridgestone Americas. “As our customer needs have continued to evolve, the resilience, adaptability and quality mindset of our employees in Bloomington remain the pillars of our ability to provide the best-in-class products to each of our customers.”
