Bridgestone: GM award ‘testament to our product, engineering and manufacturing performance’

General Motors recognised 118 of its best global suppliers during its 25th annual Supplier of the Year awards ceremony on 31 March in Orlando, Florida. Automotive suppliers from 15 countries received GM’s Supplier of the Year award for going above and beyond GM’s requirements, providing customers with the most innovative technologies and the industry’s highest-quality vehicles. More than half of the suppliers were repeat winners from 2015, including Bridgestone Corporation, who received an award for the second consecutive year and for the 15th occasion in total.

“I am proud of the effort and dedication that earned Bridgestone this honour for the 15th time,” said Mike Martini, president, original equipment, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. “This award is a testament to our product, engineering and manufacturing performance at Bridgestone, and belongs to the dedicated teammates across our global organisation who bring value and innovation to partners like GM.”

Martini and Fred Cusimano, Bridgestone senior director for the Global GM account, accepted the award on behalf of the company. “We are focused on building positive supplier relationships and bringing new, customer-centric innovations to our suppliers,” said Steve Kiefer, GM vice-president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “The companies we recognised this year have brought innovation and delivered it with the quality our customers deserve.”

Bridgestone was one of five tyre makers honoured at the General Motors’ 2016 Supplier of the Year awards. The list of winners also included Hankook Tire, Kumho Tire, Maxxis and Michelin North America. Winning suppliers were chosen by a global team of GM purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing and logistics executives and selected based on performance criteria in Product Purchasing, Indirect Purchasing, Customer Care and Aftersales and Logistics.    _sg