A rendering of the plant set to open at the end of 2026. (Bridgestone Americas)

Bridgestone Americas celebrated the expansion of its truck and bus radial tire plant in Morrison, Tenn., the company announced Aug. 16.

The expansion represents a $550 million investment aimed at increasing capacity and accelerating the use of technologies that support more efficient commercial fleets. The project will expand the plant by 850,000 square feet while adding 380 new jobs. Bridgestone celebrated construction starting with a groundbreaking ceremony.

“Thanks to Tennessee’s strong business climate, highly skilled workforce and central location, companies from across the globe continue to locate and expand in our state,” said Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. “We thank Bridgestone for its continued investment in Tennessee, which will create nearly 400 new jobs and greater opportunity for families across Warren County.”

Bridgestone said in that announcement that the three-decade-old plant will be one of the first globally to add the capability to produce Enliten technology stacks that are optimized for rolling resistance and wear. The expansion will also allow for all tires made at the plant to be equipped with radio frequency identification tags.

“With new investment and new jobs, we are moving our Warren County plant forward, driven by growing demand for our products, our commitment to investing in U.S. manufacturing, and our Warren team’s dedication to innovation, efficiency and quality for our customers,” said Paolo Ferrari, president of Bridgestone Americas. “We appreciate the partnership we’ve received from the state of Tennessee and Warren County, which is foundational to this expansion.”

Bridgestone said construction is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2026. Once construction is completed, employment at the plant is expected to grow from 1,100 to more than 1,400.