Bridgestone Archives - Page 189 of 275 - Tyrepress

Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.

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Bridgestone OE for New Land Cruiser in NA

In some parts of the world, says Toyota, the Land Cruiser is an essential tool for off-roading. And Bridgestone adds that tackling the toughest terrain requires the right tyre – and that is why Bridgestone-brand Dueler tyres have been selected as an OE option for the North American market versions of the latest model.

In North America the newly-styled, more-powerful, seventh-generation 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser is available with Bridgestone Dueler H/T D684 II tyres in size P285/60R18 114V. The all-season tyre, comments the tyre major, is ideal for adventuring off-road, yet is quiet and comfortable on-highway. Bridgestone adds that this makes for a performance combination particularly suited to Toyota’s upscale, go-anywhere SUV.

11th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Investigation Focusing on Tyre Price Fixing in South Africa

International News

On April 9 South Africa’s Competition Commission announced it had searched the offices of Dunlop Tyres International and Bridgestone South Africa to collect evidence of tyre industry price fixing in the South African market. Also searched were the offices of tyre industry association the SA Tyre Manufacturers Conference. News of this action was reported by Reuters the following day.

“We can confirm that the raid took place. We will cooperate fully with the commission,” commented Bridgestone spokesman Romano Daniels to Reuters. “We are not concerned about the investigation. We don’t believe we conducted ourselves in an untoward way.” Dunlop has yet to comment on the day’s events.

10th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper and BFNAT Issue Recalls

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.’s recent recall of 48,037 light truck radials includes private brand and off-take models produced for and sold by TBC, American Car Care Centers, Nokian Tyres and Sure Tire. The NHTSA issued supplemental recall notices last week including the four brands. In addition, NHTSA announced a recall of a small quantity of truck tyres produced by Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire.

The Cooper Tire recall impacting its private brand and off-take customers covers LT265/75R16 Load Range E tyres. For Sure Tire, the recall covers 295 of its Summit Trail Climber AT tyres produced between December 9 and December 15, 2007. For TBC, it covers 17,014 of its Wild Country Radial STX Sport and Wild Trac Radial LTR produced between December 2, 2007 and February 2, 2008. For ACCC, it covers 1,018 of its American Prospector A/T produced between December 2, 2007 and February 2, 2008. For Nokian, the recall covers 931 tyres produced between December 2, 2007 and February 8, 2008.

8th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

KRT to Show ‘Ever Increasing Line-Up’

Kings Road Tyres’ (KRT) appearance at this year’s Essen Show will mark 10 years of the company exhibiting at Essen. During this time the company has become one of the largest independent distributors in the UK and Ireland. With an inventory in excess of 7million pounds, to cover all categories of tyres and tubes, KRT claims to have the biggest penetration into the market for Truck and Agricultural tyres, substantiated by the company’s comprehensive portfolio of brands.

KRT’s agricultural stock range includes brands such as Bridgestone/Firestone, Goodyear, Jetire, Pirelli/Trelleborg, Stomil/Kormoran, Taurus, Vredestein (free rolling), and Michelin (newly appointed wholesaler). The company’s truck range is just as wide. KRT reports that it is “committed to offering customers a product to suit both quality and price” and this means that brands such as Bridgestone, Continental and Dunlop to Firestone and the wholesaler’s own brand Kingstone, all the way through to their economy Kumho range and their very latest additions of – Infinity and Aeolus.

7th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Appoints Tim Lee as National Account Executive

Tim Lee has been appointed as national account executive within Bridgestone’s consumer sales department. Lee joined the organisation in 2000 as a co-ordinator in the Brussels office, working with the product planning team. He transferred to the UK marketing team in 2004 and took up the role of product market analyst.

4th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

IJ McGill Switches to ATS Euromaster

Bristol-based I.J. McGill Transport, a member of the Palletline network, has appointed ATS Euromaster to manage the tyres across its fleet of 40 commercial vehicles and 45 trailers – fitting Michelin tyres as standard. The new agreement reportedly replaces a previous Bridgestone contract managed by a local independent tyre dealer and will see ATS Euromaster work in partnership with I.J. McGill’s in-house maintenance team, supporting the complete fleet spectrum, from panel vans to 44 tonne tractor units.

Ian McGill, Managing Director of I.J. McGill Transport, says: “Tyre management is critical to the efficient running of any commercial vehicle fleet, and through ATS Euromaster’s Web Reporter service we can now view up-to-date details and inspection reports concerning any aspect of our tyre contract at the click of a button.

4th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

A Dozen Retailers Join First Stop Network

Twelve tyre retailers have joined Bridgestone UK’s First Stop network, taking the total number of outlets to 165. At the start of 2008, Bridgestone announced a target of expanding the network by an additional 30 outlets during the course of the year. The new dealerships are based across the UK.

The new First Stop dealerships across the UK are:

AMS
LTC
Eds Treads
Elmbridge Tyres
Barry Shaddock Tyres
Watling Tyres
Tyre Express
Steer Tyres
Mike Knight Tyres
M&S Tyres
W J Woods
Gates Tyres Co

4th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Automated Tyre Facility Opens in Hungary

The fully automated 190 million tyre manufacturing facility Bridgestone has built in Tatabánya, Hungary, officially opened for business on April 3. The factory is the first in Europe to feature the tyre major’s BIRD (Bridgestone Innovative and Rational Development) technology and only the second facility outside Japan to do so. Plant production of high-performance and large-rim sized radial tyres for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles is scheduled to reach 8,000 units a day in 2009.

More than 150 guests attended the opening ceremony, including senior Hungarian figures from local, regional and national authorities. Amongst this group of dignitaries was Mr. Ábel Garamhegyi, Hungarian State Secretary, Ministry of Economy and Transport, Mr. János Bencsik, Mayor of Tatabánya and Mr. László Beke, Mayor of Környe. Representatives of Hungary’s national and local media, officials from local organisations in Tatabánya and Környe, and managing directors of neighbouring companies also attended.

4th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Towell Auto Centre Opens 16th Bridgestone Outlet in Oman

Towell Auto Centre LLC, exclusive Bridgestone distributor in Oman, has made further inroads into the national market with the opening of a new Bridgestone ‘Tyre Care Plus’ (TCP) facility in Barkha on April 2. The new centrally located outlet is Towell Auto’s 16th TCP outlet in Oman, and Towell believes the outlet represents an ideal model for a stand-alone tyre retail centre.

In attendance at the opening ceremony were Mr. Shoichi Sakuma, president of Bridgestone Middle East & Africa FZE, along with senior officials from Bridgestone and Towell Auto Centre. Mr. Sakuma along with Mr. Riyadh Ali Sultan, general manager of Towell Auto Centre, inaugurated the new TCP unit before a tour of the centre’s facilities and services was given.

3rd April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Formation of Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions Announced

Officials from Bandag announced on March 31 the organisation of Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions, a new business that will combine sales and marketing for Bandag and the Bridgestone truck tyre group. Saul Solomon, who has served as Bandag president, chairman and CEO since mid-2007, will become president of the new organisation, which will continue operating out of the Bandag Muscatine, Iowa headquarters.

According to Bandag spokesman Bill Block, the new organisation “gets all of the Bridgestone new truck tyres and Bandag retreads all under one business unit … It’s quite a large operation all together.” He added: “We’ll have to think about new tyres as well as retreads … That will affect the way employees do their jobs throughout almost every part of our operation in Muscatine.”

2nd April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNT Factory Going Green with Hydrogen Forklifts

Quiet, emission-free forklifts powered by hydrogen fuel cells are now moving materials around the Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT) plant in Aiken County, South Carolina. BFNT officials, along with the Economic Development Partnership of South Carolina, unveiled at the plant on March 31 a new “green-powered” forklift fleet that is replacing traditional battery-powered forklifts. Officials also announced the installation of a hydrogen fuel pump across from the plant that will be used by BFNT as well as other surrounding businesses. The plant is exchanging 23 forklifts this year and 20 in 2009 to create an all-hydrogen fleet. The fuel cells are a direct replacement that last longer than batteries and save time by refuelling instead of recharging.

“We are very excited about this new green initiative,” said Plant Manager Mike Rose. “This is a natural step for a technology-focused company like Bridgestone. Using this cutting-edge technology in a practical way helps our teammates and plant visitors get familiar with this clean, alternative energy. We’re proud to be among the first in the neighbourhood to use this green, clean fuel in our material movers.”

1st April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Firestone Sole Tyre Supplier for Combined IndyCar Series

In Europe Formula 1 is considered the leading motor sport, but in the US IndyCar is king, but for the past 12 years this single-seater championship has faced rivalry from Champ Car. Now, however, the two championships are combining under the IndyCar Series banner – and Firestone has been selected as the sole tyre supplier to the series.

Bridgestone and Firestone have supplied both championships for the past 12 years and, for the previous few seasons, been sole official supplier to both. As official tyre supply brand, Firestone will act as title sponsor for the Firestone Indy Lights series, while still, says Bridgestone, benefiting from the tyre major’s racing work over the past five years.

31st March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Recommended by Leading European Publications

Kumho reports that its products scored very high marks in independent tyre tests recently conducted by two of Europe’s top motoring magazines – Germany’s ADAC motorwelt and the Russian publication Za Rulem.

ADAC Motorwelt, a magazine with a monthly print one of 13.8 million copies, tested two strong-selling sizes, 175/65R14 T and 195/65R15 V, and of the 18 makes of tyre on trial only four obtained the top three star rating of ‘highly recommendable’ – the new Kumho Solus KH17 (due to reach the UK market later this year), the Pirelli Cinturato P4, the Continental EcoContact3 and the Fulda Eco Control. The magazine bought the tyres without the manufacturers’ knowledge and subjected them to a range of rigorous challenges. They evaluated driving stability, handling, braking and noise performance in the dry and carried out additional braking, aquaplaning, handling and cornering tests in wet conditions.

27th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

John Deere Acknowledges Bridgestone’s OE Contribution

Firestone agricultural tyres have a relationship with John Deere agricultural equipment dating back more than 20 years, and Bridgestone Germany is the largest tyre supplier to the John Deere factory, which is located in the German city of Mannheim and, in the 2007 fiscal year, produced more than 40,000 units of agricultural machinery.

The manufacturer of tractors and other items recognises the quality of product and service delivered by its suppliers with its “Achieving Excellence” awards, assigned primarily for good technical advice, outstanding delivery reliability, efficient problem solving and information exchange, and a low reject rate. Bridgestone comments that, overall, the collaboration between John Deere and Bridgestone Germany is an extremely successful one, and confirmation of this working relationship has come in the form of an Achieving Excellence award, recently awarded to the tyremaker.

26th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Increase Aircraft Tyre Capacity

Production capacity at Bridgestone’s Tokyo manufacturing plant will increase through the addition of new aircraft tyre products, the tyre major announced on March 21. At present the Kurume facility in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture is the only Bridgestone factory producing new aircraft radial tyres, however production at the Tokyo plant will commence in the second half of the year.

The recent decision to further increase capacity means total production capacity of aircraft radials will be two and a half times the current level. Total investment earmarked for this project is around 2.5 billion yen (£12.5 million). When in production the Tokyo plant, along with that in Kurume, will complement Bridgestone’s aircraft tyre retreading facilities in North America, Europe, Asia and Japan.

26th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors