Bridgestone To Build New Thai Plant
To Produce Radial Truck And Bus Tires
Plant will begin operation in second half of 2004

Nashville, Tenn. (November 26, 2002) - Bridgestone Corporation of Japan (BSJ) the parent company of Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding Inc. (BFAH), will build a new plant in Chonburi, Thailand to produce radial tires for trucks and buses. The new plant will be Bridgestone’s third plant in Thailand and will begin operation in the second half of 2004. The new Thai plant will have the production capacity of 2,500 tires a day and will export tires to the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as to other Southeast Asian nations. Bridgestone will invest approximately $136 million in the new plant, which will operate as Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

The new plant will help Bridgestone meet the growing worldwide demand for truck and bus tires. Bridgestone anticipates especially strong demand in the emerging markets of China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Bridgestone already operates two tire plants in Thailand’s Rangsit and Nong Khae districts through another subsidiary, Thai Bridgestone Co., Ltd. The new plant will receive technical support from these operations. The Bridgestone Group produces tires in 23 nations. The new plant will be the group’s 46th tire plant. Bridgestone operates 13 plants that produce radial tires for trucks and buses, including a facility in Warren County, Tennessee which produces those tires exclusively.

Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone America’s Holding Inc. (BFAH) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFAH, through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and associate private brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturer and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies also produce Firestone air springs, roofing material, synthetic rubber and industrial fibers and textiles and operate the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers.