“This plant is the first in Europe where, with the help of a new technology, we can produce top-quality tires at much lower cost,” Bridgestone Europe CEO Takashi Urano said at the ceremony. Bridgestone chose Tatabánya as the site for its second factory in Central Europe in May 2005. Production at the plant, which will employ 185 people, is expected to reach a daily 8,000 tires for cars and light commercial vehicles in the first half of 2009.