Bridgestone Corp on Friday said it was planning to build two new plants in China and eastern Europe to meet growing demand in those regions.
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Tokyo-based Bridgestone told Reuters it was in talks with the Chinese government to build a plant in Huizhou in the southern Guangdong Province, but has not decided where in eastern Europe a new plant would be constructed.
The company reportedly declined to give the size of the investment or timing, but the Nihon Keizai business daily said earlier on Friday that Bridgestone would spend over 50 billion yen ($US477 million) on the new plants, which would start operation in 2006.
Bridgestone also told Reuters new plants in Guangdong and east Europe would allow it to supply tyres to automakers such as Toyota and General Motors that have plants in those areas.
