Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
It appears declining demand has prompted Bridgestone to postpone the start of production at its OTR tyre factory in Thailand. Bloomberg reports comments to this effect made by chief executive officer Masaaki Tsuya on 15 June. Tsuya said a new production start date will be announced when demand for mining tyres returns – adding that this may take “some time”.
Bridgestone Corporation confirmed on 13 June its entry into an agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to become an official top-tier Olympic partner through to the 2024 Olympic Games. The ceremonial signing of the ‘TOP’ agreement in Tokyo was performed by Bridgestone CEO and Board chairman Masaaki Tsuya and IOC President Thomas Bach.
This year’s annual tyre manufacturer rankings have brought with them a number of key changes at the top of the table. The growth of Far Eastern manufacturers and Chinese companies in particular has long been observed, but 2014 sees Singapore-based Giti Tire break into the top 10 and Taiwan-based Maxxis/Cheng Shin Rubber retains its ninth position. Hot on Giti’s heels, 11th place ZC Rubber (producer of the Westlake brand) gained one place from its position in last year’s table. Indeed this part of the table is extremely close and, such is the competition at this level, if ZC Rubber had achieved the same figures as last year (assuming no-one else had done any better and excluding currency effects) it could have been in 10th position.
Summer is just around the corner, but some motorists in the UK and Europe who changed over to winter tyres last autumn haven’t yet changed back. Bridgestone has issued a reminder that its time to swap to summer tyres, and gives a couple of good reasons why drivers should do this sooner rather than later.
Bridgestone could be about to announce that it will sponsor the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. However while it has confirmed that talks have taken place, the company is being much more tight lipped about sharing any details.
Bridgestone has appointed Wim Belckx as its new north region consumer marketing manager. Now based in Leamington, the 34 year-old, originally from Belgium, has worked his way up the Bridgestone ladder since his first job as a marketing analyst at BSEU in 2003. Belckx takes up his position having headed Brussels’ newly created pricing department in 2010.
Bridgestone representatives have dismissed reports that the company is considering acquiring up to 500 tyre depots in the UK in a bid to go head-to-head with the leading tyre retailer in the UK, Kwik-Fit. According to the reports, which surfaced over the weekend in The Telegraph, Bridgestone “is seeking to buy eight to 10 regional automotive retail groups within a year and merge them into one brand.”
Bridgestone has launched a premium range of radial agricultural tyres at Reifen 2014. While the manufacturer boasts a wide range of products for the sector under its Firestone brand, including the Performer and Maxi Traction, the Bridgestone VT-Tractor will focus on the growing high performance tractor segment.
Michelin will replace Bridgestone as the exclusive tyre supplier to MotoGP in 2016. The French manufacturer won the official tender, opened in May by Dorna in agreement with the FIM. Outlining the tender process, Dorna said that interested tyre manufacturers were able to request the technical specifications from its managing director Javier Alonso, with three […]
Members of the historic motorcycle skill display team, White Helmets are to train with Enduro and Dakar legend Mick Extance, courtesy of Bridgestone. The tyre manufacturer is backing The Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team with equipment and tyres for 2014, and has put the group in touch with the seven times Dakar Rally competitor’s off-road school in Powys, in an attempt to improve each soldier’s riding ability.
In addition to bringing its full line-up of new and retreaded truck and bus tyres to Reifen 2014, Bridgestone will show off its brand new range of Bridgestone-brand agricultural tyres for the first time ever. The company says all 550m2 of its two-storey booth will be used to showcase its full range of commercial products, including those of subsidiary brands Firestone, Bandag and Protread.
Bridgestone has put its money where its mouth is by adding a number of all-electric BMW i3 vehicles to the car pool attached to its European headquarters near Brussels, and by equipping the headquarters site with recharging points. The tyre maker says the presence of electric vehicles in its fleet underlines its faith in the concept of sustainable mobility.
Bridgestone has signed a development contract with Invitalia, Italy’s agency for inward investment promotion and enterprise development, for the upgrade of Bridgestone’s Modugno plant in Bari, which employs some 800 workers. A total of €41.3 million is being invested in the project, including a €12.4 million grant from Invitalia. The agreement between the tyre maker and government agency was signed in Rome by Bridgestone Italia CEO Roberto Mauro and Invitalia CEO Domenico Arcuri.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, Bridgestone achieved net sales of 863.6 billion yen (£5.0 billion), an 8.7 per cent year-on-year increase on the 1 January to 31 March 2013 quarter. Operating income was 116.3 billion yen (£677.1 million), up 56.3 per cent year-on-year, while operating margin rose from 9.4 per cent a year ago to 13.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2014. Net income increased 66.9 per cent year-on-year to 71.9 billion yen (£418.6 million).
Addressing speculation about Pirelli’s interest in MotoGP tyre supply after Bridgestone withdraws, Paul Hembery indicates that the Italian tyre maker isn’t pushing for selection. Crash.net reports that the WSBK series remains Pirelli’s focus. “We’re heavily involved with superbikes and the promoter is the same, so we are bound to have been in discussions, but there’s no plans at the moment to do anything,” commented Hembery at the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. “Our motorcycle team are reviewing that, but I have to say as a company we are very happy with our involvement in superbikes.”
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
