Bridgestone Increases Number of Retail Outlets in China

(Akron/Tire Review) A report by the Shanghai Daily says that Bridgestone Corp. will add 750 retail tyre outlets to its distribution in China by 2010, with some 400 of them being “high-end branded stores.”
Already, Bridgestone has 4,850 sales outlets in China, and will boost that total to 5,600 within five years. Among those are 100 Car Wings company-owned outlets, which Bridgestone says it will increase to 500 stores. Car Wings outlets sell tires, wheels, stereo equipment and accessories.

“Bridgestone will make more products for the expanding Chinese market and build up its research and development strength in China,” Hiromichi Odagiri, chairman and chief executive officer of Bridgestone (China) Investment Co. Ltd., told the newspaper.
Shanghai Daily said that Goodyear plans to increase the number of its branded retail stores to 300 in China by the end of this year, while Groupe Michelin expects to own 250 TirePlus high-end retail outlets in the country by 2006.