Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire has launched the Bridgestone M860, and all-position on/off-highway medium truck radial, targeting refuse and severe-service trucks. BFNAT said the new tyre was designed to “deliver outstanding tread life, durable beads and sidewalls” and is highly retreadable.
Further to reports that Bridgestone workers in South Australia had commenced industrial action over a pay dispute, the company has released news that, as a result, it has taken the decision to stand down workers. Bridgestone management says the action has affected production and therefore some staff have been told not to return to work until further notice.
Bridgestone workers in Australia have followed their threats with action, and employees at the company’s Salisbury plant near Adelaide, in South Australia, have begun industrial action over a pay dispute. According to Bridgestone, production and maintenance staff at the plant commenced a series of four-hour stoppages at 2am on March 8.
Speaking at the Geneva motor show, the director general of the London-based FIA Foundation, David Ward, has reiterated the significant financial and environmental impact of driving with under inflated tyres.
As part of the ‘Think Before You Drive’ campaign the FIA Foundation has conducted in partnership with Bridgestone, the foundation has been privy to the results of numerous studies. “In doing this campaign, where there’s been a huge number of tyre testing around Europe, we’ve actually discovered the whole environmental story,” commented Mr. Ward.
Bridgestone India is in discussions with Toyota regarding the possibility of supplying OE tyres to its upcoming Indian market small car. According to Hisao Ikawa, Bridgestone India’s managing director, the Madhya Pradesh based tyremaker is “most likely to bag the order for supplying radials to Toyota’s proposed small car, which should roll out in 2009-10.”
The Liberian government is currently in discussions with Bridgestone Firestone to renegotiate the concession contract for the tyremaker’s operation of the world’s largest natural rubber plantation.
While Michelin appears confident about maintaining its apparent advantage in the MotoGP tyre war, competitor Bridgestone believes the fight is still too close to call.
With the switch from 990cc to 800cc bikes in 2007 a greater emphasis has been placed upon cornering, with the bikes’ reduced power allowing greater cornering speeds. Michelin has replaced their 16.5-inch front tyre with a 16-inch alternative that permits lighter handling, and this new tyre performed well during February’s qualifying tests in Qatar, with Honda’s Dani Pedrosa achieving the fastest times.
Bridgestone has confirmed it will visually differentiate its two specifications of dry weather F1 tyres following last-minute changes to this year’s Formula One regulations. This ruling by the Formula One Commission and the FIA World Motor Sport Council means states that the two different tyre compounds – both of which must be used in each race – must be visibly different.
Bridgestone’s training programme educating tyre dealers and fitters about its RFT run-flat tyre technology has now seen more than 320 dealerships certified to replace run-flat. This marks a 25 per cent increase in the number of dealerships taking the free course compared with the same period last year.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone and Firestone brand tyres will grace the 2008 Dodge Avenger, Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire announced. The 2008 Dodge Avenger SE will come standard with Firestone FR690 tyres in size P215/65R16 96T. The Dodge Avenger SXT will feature Bridgestone Turanza EL40002 tyres in size P215/60R17 95T, while the Dodge Avenger R/T will come OE with Bridgestone Potenza RE92A radials in size P215/55R18 94H.
The 2007 MotoGP season starts on March 10th with the Grand Prix in Qatar. This year’s calendar has 18 races, one more than 2006. Between Qatar and Valencia on 4 November, the teams will have raced in Turkey, China, USA, Japan, Malaysia and Australia as well as throughout Europe.
Employees at a Bridgestone factory in South Australia have voted to take strike action in order to obtain a wage rise. The company offered workers at its Salisbury plant a pay rise of up to 6 per cent over four years, however the workers’ representative body, the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU), has referred to the rise as insulting.
The world’s leading tyremakers are exhibiting at the 77th International Motor Show, held in Geneva between March 8 – 18. Bridgestone, Michelin, Pirelli, Continental, Marangoni and a number of other tyre related companies will be amongst the 250 plus companies present at the city’s Palexpo exhibition centre for what has been called the accessories, spare parts and equipment sector’s largest annual event.
American tyre plant employees at factories struggling to remain globally competitive are finding themselves back in the classroom. The Bridgestone Firestone tyre facility in Wilson, North Carolina is requiring potential and some existing employees to participate in “Introduction to Tire Manufacturing” classes at a nearby technical college.
(Akron/Tire Review) Reports from the United Steelworkers indicate that master contract negotiations with Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire are progressing. Earlier this week, the two sides held meetings at USW’s headquarters in Pittsburgh that were termed “generally positive” by the union.
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