Posts
USA: Bridgestone investing $550 million in TBR production
Bridgestone Americas will spend US$550 million over the coming two years on the expansion and modernisation of its Warren County truck and bus radial tyre plant in the US state of Tennessee. The project will add 380 jobs to the Warren County workforce and expand the plant’s existing footprint by 850,000 square feet (around 79,000 square metres).
Bridgestone using Microsoft Azure to enhance connected tyre & mobility portfolio
Two years after first partnering to develop an intelligent tyre monitoring system, Bridgestone Corporation is extending its collaboration with Microsoft. It will use Microsoft Azure to create value for customers, primarily global fleets and OEMs, by integrating advanced tyre analytics to provide a better overview of treadwear and casing health. By doing so, Bridgestone aims to raise customer productivity and efficiency by maximising retreading and informing when tyre maintenance may be needed.
Bridgestone opens new US race tyre production site
An opening ceremony took place yesterday for Bridgestone’s new racing tyre manufacturing facility in the USA. The inauguration of the Advanced Tire Production Center (ATPC) in Akron, Ohio provides Bridgestone Americas with the means of enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of its race tyre production. Housing a team of 60, the US$21 million plant will manufacture all Firestone Firehawk race tyres for the NTT IndyCar Series.
Paolo Ferrari joins Higashi as Bridgestone’s Joint Global COO
On 18 April, the Board of Directors at Bridgestone Corporation decided to strengthen the company’s global management structure by appointing two joint global chief operating officers. Paolo Ferrari will join Masahiro Higashi, who has served as Bridgestone’s global chief operating officer since July 2020, in this capacity on 1 May 2022. Both report to Shu Ishibashi, Bridgestone Corporation’s global chief executive officer. Ferrari’s remit will expand to include responsibility for Bridgestone’s business in Europe.
Bridgestone & LanzaTech partner on ELT solutions
Bridgestone Americas has commenced an exclusive partnership with carbon capture and transformation (CCT) specialist LanzaTech NZ, Inc. to address end-of-life tyre waste. The two companies will co-develop the first dedicated end-of-life tyre recycling process leveraging LanzaTech’s proprietary CCT technology.
Bridgestone boosts fleet portfolio with Azuga acquisition
Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) has reached an agreement with tech-focused private equity firm Sumeru Equity Partners, connected vehicle specialist Danlaw and other shareholders to purchase Azuga Holdings, Inc. (Azuga) and the Azuga fleet management platform for US$391 million. Bridgestone says the acquisition will accelerate its efforts to develop and deploy sustainable mobility solutions as a “central pillar of the company’s advanced mobility strategy.”
New CMO at Bridgestone Americas
Sara Correa is the newly-appointed chief marketing officer at Bridgestone Americas. She will begin in this role on 26 July, succeeding Philip Dobbs, who recently announced he will retire from Bridgestone in October after a brief transition period.
Last-mile delivery: Bridgestone considering van tyre retreading
Bridgestone Corporation is working to incorporate additional sustainability into its business model. Alongside plans to establish and build up a recycling business, retreading remains a key part of these efforts and features in the company’s plans to invest 700 billion yen (£4.6 billion) in strategic resources by 2023. To expand retreading activities, Bridgestone is looking at other segments besides commercial truck and OTR tyre retreading.
Autonomous driving: Bridgestone invests in Kodiak Robotics
Bridgestone Americas has made a minority investment in Kodiak Robotics, a leading self-driving trucking company in the USA. Nizar Trigui, Bridgestone Americas’ chief technology officer and group president of its Solutions Businesses, also joins the Kodiak Robotics Board of Directors.
Bridgestone names Ferrari Global CSO
As of 1 July 2021, Paolo Ferrari will become Bridgestone Corporation’s Global Chief Business Solutions Officer. At the same time, he officially relinquishes the position of Chief Operating Officer within Bridgestone Americas, Inc., the company’s US-based subsidiary. Bridgestone Corporation recently announced that Scott Damon would take over the latter role on 1 June.
Bridgestone Americas expands leadership roles
Bridgestone Corporation reports that its North and Latin American subsidiary is expanding several key leadership positions in order to strengthen its core tyre business and to accelerate the execution of its sustainable mobility solutions strategy. The changes will take effect 1 June.
Bridgestone: Sale of Firestone Building Products completed
Bridgestone Corporation reports that its Bridgestone Americas, Inc. subsidiary has completed the sale of Firestone Building Products to Holcim Participations (US) Inc, a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim Ltd. (LafargeHolcim). According to the Japanese company, the US$3.4 billion transaction will “advance Bridgestone’s efforts to deliver value to customers and society as a global leader providing tyres and advanced mobility solutions.”
Jab for cash: Bridgestone Americas offers employees $100 for vaccination
Bridgestone Americas is providing a one-time, US$100 payment to all of its more than 33,000 employees in the USA who choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The company is also exploring options to deploy a comparable programme to employees in Canada and Latin America as the vaccine becomes more widely available. Bridgestone is among the first major employers in its industry to initiate a financial payment to employees who decide to be vaccinated.
Bridgestone Americas takes sustainability-linked credit
Bridgestone Americas has executed a US$1.1 billion sustainability-linked credit facility in partnership with Sumitomo Mitsubishi Banking Corporation (SMBC). Under this credit facility, the costs that Bridgestone incurs in relation to its borrowings will decline or rise in line with independent appraisals of its sustainability.
