Bridgestone Enters UK Bus Segment
When Bridgestone announced it had gained a contract with Swindon-based bus company Thamesdown Transport in July it marked a new stage in the Japanese manufacturer’s UK market development plans. Since then, the company has revealed that it has agreed three other strategic contracts (with Plymouth City Bus, Veolia and First Bus), designed to strengthen its position. The largest of these deals will see the company supply new Bridgestone tyres to 4000 buses. From an already strong position in the truck side of the roughly 1.4 million unit TBR market, Bridgestone is now aiming to position itself for growth in the bus side of the business too.
Speaking to Tyres & Acessories, Bridgestone UK commercial tyre director, Greg Ward, said that the manufacturer had been reviewing the market conditions for some time (about two years) before deciding 2008 was the right time to get involved with this market segment. What the company will have observed during this period is that there are many barriers to entering the part of the commercial vehicle market. And furthermore not many manufacturers are actually in a place to be able to successful serve this market in general. Asked why this was the right time to enter a marketplace that has and such a high entry point, Ward explained that Bridgestone and its partners now have the right “products, services and infrastructure,” to properly service this segment.