Bridgestone Aims for 15 per cent of Europe

Bridgestone is a aiming to control 15 per cent of the European market within 5 years, the company announced at the Paris auto show.

In 2004 Bridgestone Europe should achieve sales turnover of nearly 2.4 billion euros compared with 2.1 billion euros in 2003, explained Minekazu Fujimura, president of Bridgestone Europe. In order to increase the company’s market share in Europe, the manufacturer says it is looking towards reinforcing its high performance and winter segments. Ultimately, Bridgestone wants these segments to be responsible for 50 per cent of the company’s business.

Mr Fujimura also noted that the company is relying on good brand awareness in order to accentuate its share of market. Btidgestone Europe’s president also emphasised the fact that when we decided to become involved with Formula 1 in 1996, Bridgestone’s brand awareness in the five principal European countries bordered 6 per cent. “Today it is nearer 40 per cent,” he said.