Raising the Bar
In the heart of Warwickshire, a hop, skip and a jump from the tourist magnet that is Stratford-upon-Avon, lies the UK headquarters of a company whose name is every bit as famous as that of the Bard. From these pleasant surroundings the world’s largest tyre manufacturer directs its entire British operations, with managerial, sales, support and technical staff all situated under the one roof. In addition to this, the offices serve one further, important purpose – as the nerve centre for Bridgestone’s UK training programmes.
Established in June 2005 by Paul Turner, a man who started out in the business as a tyre fitter more than 20 years ago and has got his hands dirty in a number of roles, the Bridgestone Training Department has seen Paul and colleague Phil Thirsk, who joined the fledgling operation three months after its creation, fully engaged in the development and delivery of training for Bridgestone’s UK partners and customers.