Bridgestone to Establish Polyurethane Foam for Automobile Seats Plant in Wuhan, China

Bridgestone announced today that it has decided to establish a new plant to produce polyurethane foam for automobile seats in Wuhan City (Wuhan Plant hereinafter) located in Hubei Province of China. The Wuhan Plant will be operated by Bridgestone (Wuhan) Chemical Products Co., Ltd., which was established in December 2010. Preparations are currently underway to begin mass production of these products in April 2012. The Company will invest US$11.0 million (approximately ¥1.0 billion) to build the plant, to install equipment, and to start production. The Wuhan Plant will boost an annual production capacity of 300,000 car sets. The Wuhan Plant will be Bridgestone's second plant for producing polyurethane foam for automobile seats in China. The Company already operates the Guangzhou Plant in China, which produces the same products.

Demand for automobiles in China is expected to grow in the medium- to long-term, which will drive increased demand for polyurethane foam for automobile seats. By strengthening its supply systems in China, Bridgestone will enhance its ability to quickly deliver these high-quality products to this growing market.