GRANITEVILLE - Four days ago, the community marked the first anniversary of the deadly train wreck and chlorine spill that killed nine people, including six Avondale Mills employees.

On Monday, Gov. Mark Sanford was in town for a more upbeat event at another Graniteville plant.

Officials at Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire's Aiken County plant announced that the facility recently made its 50 millionth tire. Company officials also announced a $17 million expansion at the plant that will add 36 production jobs by the end of the year.

"This is an important nudge forward from the standpoint of more investment and more jobs," Mr. Sanford said.

The company will invest about $10 million in a fourth mixer for the plant, which began operations in Aiken County in 1999. The mixer should be in place by October. The remaining $7 million will be used to upgrade five existing tire-building machines so the plant can produce tires that are 20 inches in diameter.

The mixer will enable the plant to blend natural and synthetic rubber to produce the tires.

"It means that we will be self-sufficient for the rubber that we use here," Plant Manager Mike Rose said. "The market seems to be going to the very large rim size, so we had to change."

The $17 million project will bring the company's total investment in the Graniteville plant to about $494 million, said Mark Emkes, the chairman and CEO of Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc., the North American subsidiary of Japanese tire maker Bridgestone Corp.

"Aiken County is an excellent place to do business," he said.

"We're confident that our investment will pay great dividends for our company, our community and our state."

The Aiken County plant, which produces radial passenger and light truck tires, currently employs 923.

Even though this investment is "relatively modest," Mr. Sanford said, it has great significance for Graniteville residents.

He said the expansion plans would bring hope to a town still recovering from the events of a year ago.

Mr. Sanford also said the production of the plant's 50 millionth tire showed that the South Carolina work force can compete with others around the globe.

"It's a credit to your tenacity," he said, and it illustrates "the importance of doing little things right."

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (803) 648-1395, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.