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

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Arkansas Retreader Gets ISO Certification

(Akron/Tire Review) Fort Smith, Arkansas-based Trans-American Tire announced that its North Little Rock, Arkansas, Bandag retread plant has earned ISO 9001:2000 certification. “We’re joining a North American network of Bandag dealers to offer consistent, quality results to trucking fleets’” says R. Scott Hembree, Trans-American’s chairman. “Implementing the Bandag quality management system and working towards certification has helped my organization to fine tune our operations.

20th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Stars Help First Stop Dealers Raise Charity Cash

First Stop tyre dealers rubbed shoulders with stars from TV and radio to help raise more than £1,500 for impoverished African youngsters. The owners of Tyrecraft, Bootle; Tyresave, St Helens; Tyreworld, Widnes; Pemberton Tyres, Wigan; and Ashton Tyre & Exhaust, Ashton-in-Makerfield, were joined by Big Brother celebrities Nikki and Mikey, Coronation Street’s Richard Fleeshman and Radio 2 presenter Sally ‘Traffic’ Boazman at Truckfest North West, which attracted thousands of people to Haydock Park Racecourse on 16/17 September.

20th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Thai Coup Has Unknown Impact on Tyre Business

(Akron/Tire Review) Tuesday’s military coup in Thailand, has forced a number of companies to suspend operations. According to reports, a number of Japan-based companies were impacted, including electronics maker Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which halted the operations at its 21 Thai plants on Wednesday to ensure the safety of employees. Sony Corp., Sanyo Electric, Hitachi Ltd., NEC Corp., Fujitsu Ltd. and Sharp Corp. also suspended operations Bangkok.

20th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Going the Extra Mile

With the European Commission predicting that 81 per cent of freight transport will be delivered by road by 2020, long-distance or highway tyres have become a real focus for the premium manufacturers. Prior to the M749’s official debut at the Hanover IAA Commercial Vehicle show, Tyres & Accessories visited Bridgestone’s Aprilia proving ground to see the Japanese manufacturer’s new highway tyre in action.

Bridgestone’s latest drive axle offering is clearly presented to fight off the company’s number one competitor and therefore it promises much. According to Bridgestone officials the new M749 is more cost efficient because of superior mileage, excellent rolling resistance, and a “high capacity” for re-grooving and retreading. The demonstrations Bridgestone staff gave on the track were particularly designed to show the product also has strengths in “handling and wet safety.”

19th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Vredestein Wins Again

Vredestein is celebrating its fifth straight win in the annual Auto Express tyre test. Described as “brilliant in the wet,” the magazine’s only real criticism was of the Sportrac 3’s fuel economy. Continental, only 0.6 percentage points behind, took second place. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the report was Kumho’s Marshal second brand taking third. Auto Express’ remaining recommended rosettes were given to the Bridgestone B250 in fourth and Goodyear in sixth who were only separated by 0.01 points. The Vredestein Sportrac 2 won last year’s test. This year leading premium manufacturer, Michelin, took 15th and last place.

15th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Unchecked Illegal Tapping, Paper Says, May Force Plantation Action

(Akron/Tire Review) The Liberian Times has reported that Bridgestone Americas Holding’s Firestone Plantation Co. in Liberia has threatened to close down its activities in the country if the Liberian government does not help control illegal tapping at the facility.

According to the paper, outsiders have been “on a rampage” over the last several months, illegally tapping natural rubber trees on Firestone Plantation grounds. Allegedly, this illegal activity has also resulted in the deaths of five Plantation contractors and injuries to dozens of company employees.

14th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin and Pirelli Rank Highest in US JD Power Survey

Michelin has come top in JD Power’s latest OE tyre satisfaction survey in the SUV-sized vehicle-based tyre segments, with Pirelli winning in the mass-market segment. The “2006 Original Equipment Tire Satisfaction Study” was based on five performance factors: appearance, handling, ride, traction and wearability. The study found that tyre wearability continues to be the most important factor in overall OE tyre satisfaction. “In general, tyre manufacturers will see the largest return on investment if they are able to improve in the wearability factor,” said Carolyn McBeth, director of automotive component research for JD Power and Associates.

Click more for the full results.

14th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNAT Gets OE Deals With Mack, Volvo

(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire announced that it has signed two OE medium truck tyre deals – one with Mack and another with Volvo. Both deals kick in 1 October, and will see Bridgestone brand tyres come as standard equipment on all Mack and Volvo tractors.

13th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Says It Wants BFS-Union Deal Done First

(Akron/Tire Review) In an interesting twist to the current round of master contract talks, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has told the United Steelworkers that it wants the union to reach a deal with Bridgestone/Firestone before it will continue negotiations. It was expected that talks between Goodyear and the USW were further along than those between the union and Bridgestone/Firestone, and that the union’s talks with Bridgestone/Firestone would be more difficult.

12th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Considering Russia Factory

Japan Bridgestone Corp is considering building a new tyre factory in Russia, where car production is up almost 10 per cent in the first half of 2006. Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported that Bridgestone has reserved a 10 hectare plot of land near the new Nissan factory in St. Petersburg, which could cost the Japanese company around $30 million.

11th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Schumacher Wins 90th Grand Prix, Announces Retirement

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will retire from F1 at the end of the season. The announcement follows Schumacher’s first place in the Italian Grand Prix, a result that reduces his title deficit (behind Renault’s Fernando Alonso) to just two points. The Ferrari (Bridgestone) driver’s victory was the 90th in a career in which Schumacher has broken almost every F1 record.

But he has also been a controversial champion. “Where Schumacher cannot draw the right line is on track. He cannot see when he crosses the line between tough but fair, and ruthless but foul. That is exacerbated by his total belief that he cannot be wrong. He has a default mode in the car: if you’re going to pass him, he will drive you off the road. He even did it to me as a team-mate,” former Benetton team-mate, Martin Brundle commented.

11th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Kovalainen and Fisichella to Drive for Renault in 2007

Finland’s Heikki Kovalainen (24) will race for Formula One champions Renault in 2007 while Flavio Briatore has signed up as team boss for two more years. Kovalainen will partner Italian Giancarlo Fisichella after world champion Fernando Alonso moves to McLaren.

7th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNAT Buys Virginia Dealer

(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire confirmed that it had purchased White Tire, based in Virginia. White Tire has six retail stores, 11 commercial centres and six retread shops, and serves customers in Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Under BFNAT’s ownership, White Tire LLC will be a subsidiary operation.

7th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNAT to Get New Tech Director, Hara Gets Key OE Position

(Akron/Tire Review) Hideo “Hank” Hara, Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire’s executive vice president of tyre development and technology, will be returning to parent company Bridgestone Corp. in October to become vice president and officer of OE tyre sales and motorsports. Replacing Hara at BFNAT will be Yutaka Yamaguchi, currently director of tyre development at Bridgestone. Yamaguchi will also assume Hara’s spot on the boards of directors of both BFNAT and Bridgestone America Holding.

6th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone, 13 Others Named in Superdome Roof Suit

(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Americas Holding and some 13 other firms have been sued in connection to damages to the Louisiana Superdome caused last year by Hurricane Katrina. BAH was one of the companies that recommended, supplied and/or installed the roof on the Superdome, which failed during the catastrophic storm. Louisiana Stadium & Exposition District filed the suit along with the state of Louisiana, insurers for the New Orleans Saints, and SMG, which manages the facility. In the U.S. District Court suit, the parties claim the roofing, which was replaced in 2002, was touted as being able to withstand 200 mph winds. During Hurricane Katrina, however, large portions of the roof blew away, allowing heavy rains to enter the dome. BAH countered that the force of the hurricane, not faulty installation or materials, caused the roof damage. BAH claims its warranty excludes “acts of God,” including damage caused by winds exceeding 55 mph.

6th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors