Bridgestone Opens $3 Million Akron Retread Training Center

Bridgestone Americas has opened a $3 million Bandag Training Center in Akron, Ohio, its second such facility, to train commercial tire dealers, fleet teams and company employees in tire retreading. The nearly 15,000-square-foot center features production-scale equipment for all 10 stages of the retreading process, alongside classroom space, and is expected to educate hundreds of industry professionals each year. Bridgestone says the training will help improve retreading operations and highlight the process’s financial and environmental benefits, including extending tire life and reducing waste. When classes are not in session, the company plans to use the site to test retread products, equipment and manufacturing processes.