Bridgestone Corp. said Monday it has started, three months ahead of schedule, the second phase of expanding production capacity at its plant in Kitakyushu for large and ultralarge off-road radial tires for construction machinery and mining vehicles.

The move is aimed at meeting growing global demand for the tires as a result of an increase in production of coal and other mineral resources, Bridgestone said.

The second phase of capacity expansion, originally scheduled to start in July, will bring production of the tires to 80 tons per day when it is completed in the second half of 2012.

The Kitakyushu plant began operating last June, with the aim of achieving a daily output capacity of 30 tons under the first phase of expansion due to end in the second half of this year.