Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
The new Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier scored a decisive victory in its first major international comparative tyre test, being declared as “awesome” by top test riders. The test, carried out by US magazine, Sport Rider, compared the top road tyres on the market in a gruelling assessment of traction, braking, steering response and general handling qualities.
Despite earlier reports that workers had gone back to work, one week into the strike company officials told Tyres & Accessories that while the industrial action “could end tomorrow, it could also go on for weeks.” In an interview with T&A, Bridgestone Americas’ Dan MacDonald and Gert Meylemans (Bridgestone Europe) explained that the ongoing strike might mean there is disruption, but it also unlikely to have any long term or direct effects on prices.
Despite the plantation’s size (118,000 acres) the company representatives downplayed the effect the strike would have on the tyre market. “The majority of what is harvested is not block rubber, but liquid latex,” Dan MacDonald told Tyres & Accessories. Instead the Liberian plantation’s output is only said to make up 14 per cent of Bridgestone Americas’ and 1.2 per cent of the company’s worldwide demand. For now there is said to be significant quantities of the necessary raw materials in reserve. And the executives pointed out that the company ran other large plantations in places like Indonesia. Reserves and alternative sites aside, 5,800 striking workers is not good for any company.
(Akron/Tire Review) Four Bridgestone-brand tyres were named to Consumers Digest magazine’s list of tire “best buys,” which appears in the publication’s February issue. Earning the designation were the Bridgestone Turanza LS-H in the touring tire category; Bridgestone Potenza G009 in the performance tire category; Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza in the light truck/SUV all-purpose tire category; and the Bridgestone Dueler H/P in the sport tyre category.
The strike action at Bridgestone Corp’s Firestone rubber plantation in Liberia has reportedly come to an end. The news has yet to be confirmed, but workers are said to have returned to work after government officials spoke to them. “The strike was provisionally called off. The workers have agreed to resume work after my intervention along with some other officials,” the Minister of Labour-designate told FrontPageAfrica.
(Akron/Tire Review) As it has in recent years, Bridgestone Americas Holding (BAH) is sponsoring the media center at the upcoming Chicago Auto Show, 10 – 19 February, and is using the event to showcase new technology and products. BAH plans appearances by Mario Andretti and 2005 Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon, and will display the 1911 Marmom Wasp that Ray Harroun drove to victory in the very first Indy 500.
Bridgestone Corporation has unveiled a more compact, lighter version of its revolutionary in-wheel motor system for electric vehicles (Version III). Bridgestone first released details of the in-wheel motor system in September 2003. Then, a more compact and lighter version (Version II) was designed in September 2004. Based on this technology, Bridgestone developed the latest version especially for small tyre sizes.
Installing the drive motors inside the wheels means each wheel can be controlled individually, which supports excellent handling. It also eliminates the need for the differential gear and drive shaft and therefore allows for unprecedented freedom when designing vehicles. Designers can allocate more space to the driver and passengers without increasing the overall size and weight of the vehicle.
Bridgestone Europe, together with Fujitsu Siemens Computers, will co-sponsor the press room of the 2006 Geneva motor show (2-12 March). As ‘Official Press Sponsor’, Bridgestone will feature its logos and messages on prominent wall displays, signage and documentation in the press room. In addition, Bridgestone-uniformed staff will be on hand to assist journalists visiting the event. Last year Goodyear sponsored the exhibition’s press centre.
(Akron/Tire Review) News reports out of Monrovia, Liberia, say that some 3,000 workers at Bridgestone Corp’s natural rubber plantation there have gone on strike.
“The strike is very serious. Production has come to a complete halt,” a public relations spokesman with Firestone Plantation Co. told Reuters. “We have asked the government to intervene. We do not know why this is going on.”
(Akron/Tire Review) Ford Motor Co. has been ordered to pay a rollover accident victim $29 million. The case involved a 22-year-old Texas woman who was left partially paralyzed when a Firestone ATX on her 1999 Mazda Navajo failed and the vehicle rolled over.
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) is to start two new promotions within the commercial truck & bus group. Kurt Danielson, currently director, commercial marketing, has accepted a new assignment as executive director, commercial marketing for the US and Canadian markets effective 1 January. Kurt is responsible for the marketing of all truck and bus tyre brands, which includes the Bridgestone, Firestone and Dayton lines in both the US and Canada. In addition, Kurt is also responsible for product planning, supply/inventory planning and Oncor retreading.
The seemingly ever-increasing demand for plant and equipment from China in particular has had dramatic effects on the earthmover tyre market. In an attempt to meet demand, Bridgestone’s factories are operating at maximum capacity and the company has revised its production capacity forecasts. It had planned to increase earthmover tyre production by 80 per cent between 2004 and 2008, but this schedule is being accelerated.
The effects of the tyre shortage are neatly encapsulated in what is happening to the UK coal mining industry. The opencast mining industry in the UK is Western Europe’s largest and accounts for around 18,500 tyres a year. Bridgestone has been the market leader in this sector for over 10 years.
Bridgestone’s R249 steer-axle radial has been voted commercial vehicle ‘Tyre of the Year 2006’ in Spain. The award, promoted by ‘Neumáticos y Mecánica rápida’ magazine, is now in its seventh year. Winners are selected by a group of more than 50 independent professionals, ranging from tyre workshop technicians to distributors, representatives of the media and members of several associations.
Bridgestone reports that it conducted extensive testing in nine countries, including Spain in the course of producing the R249. The manufacturer designed the product based on user requirements identified in a long-term study covering almost 1000 European fleets.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) launched a new consumer tyre sales effort that gives buyers 30 days to decide if they want to keep their recently purchased Bridgestone, Firestone or Dayton brand tyres. “Buy & Try 30-Day Guarantee” starts 1 February, and “puts consumers in the driver’s seat,” said Phil Pacsi, BFNAT’s executive director of consumer tyre brand marketing. “If after 30 days or less the consumer is not satisfied with the performance of our tyres we will refund their money.”
Bridgestone Potenza tyres will be original equipment on Mazda’s redesigned 2006 MX-5 Miata. Bridgestone will supply the roadsters with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFT Run-Flat tires and will offer its Blizzak winter run-flat tyres as aftermarket replacements for the model. Bridgestone has been supplying tyres to Mazda since it brought the Miata to market in the United States in 1990. The redesigned MX-5 Miata features a larger interior and exterior and a new 2.0-litre DOHC aluminium 4-cylinder engine that produces 170 horsepower.
For nearly three decades, the East Anglian company Bickers has been developing the Maxxis brand in a number of niche markets, including motorcycles and scooters, Moto-X, ATV and lawn care. Now, following the establishment of a joint venture between Maxxis and Bickers (Maxxis International UK plc), a concerted effort will be made to develop the brand – especially in the passenger car tyre and LCV markets.
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