Bridgestone Americas, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp., this week announced the construction of a new 1.5-million-square-foot off-road radial tire manufacturing facility on a Greenfield site in Aiken County, South Carolina. Bridgestone also announced an additional 474,000-square-foot expansion of its existing passenger and light truck tire plant in Aiken County. When fully completed, the total $1.2 billion investment in the projects will increase Bridgestone’s local workforce by more than 850 full-time and contractor positions, the company said.

The construction of the ORR plant is part of the company’s global sourcing strategy. Previously, large ORR tires had been produced exclusively at Bridgestone’s plants in Japan. The company will install production technologies developed in Japan to more effectively respond to customer needs and growing global demand.

“Today’s announcement represents the largest initial capital investment by a company in our state’s history and we celebrate the more than 850 new jobs,” said S.C. governor Nikki Haley.

Bridgestone Americas is based in Nashville, Tenn.