Retreading at former Bridgestone plant

The future of tyre making at the site of Bridgestone’s recently-closed Béthune plant in France has been secured by a deal signed in July between major European vehicle maintenance and mobility firm Mobivia and French retreading specialist Black Star. With support from Bridgestone, the partners are gearing up to retread car, SUV and light commercial vehicle tyres in Béthune – products that Bridgestone intends to sell through selected retail outlets. The project will commence in January and gradually ramp up; Mobivia’s communications manager, Laurie Lalloyer, informs us that the aim is to retread 900,000 tyres a year by 2025. By that time the project is expected to have created nearly 200 jobs, including employment for many former Bridgestone workers.