Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
Liberian labour minister, Kofi Wood, has given managers at Firestone’s Harbel, Liberia rubber plantation 90-days to improve workers’ living conditions. “We have asked the Firestone management to improve the living conditions of the workers,” Wood told Reuters by telephone. “We have given them 90 days.” The minister did not say what the consequences of failing to meet the deadline might be.
Michael Schumacher Bridgestone-shod Ferrari has won the European GP in front of home crowds to give Bridgestone its 97th win since entering Formula One in 1997. The result was Schumacher’s 86th win of his career. After a race-long battle, Schumacher beat the Michelin equipped Renault of Fernando Alonso into second place. Ferrari and Bridgestone’s Felipe Massa completed the podium.
(Akron/Tire Review) The United Steelworkers (USW) stated goal of protecting job security will certainly be challenged as formal negotiations begin next month for new master contracts between the Steelworkers and Goodyear, Bridgestone/Firestone and Michelin. The talks will begin against a backdrop of ever-increasing raw material, benefit and legacy costs that have forced global outsourcing of production in order to maintain profitability.
The Fulda Progesso performance summer tyre has won two categories in the latest summer tyre test of German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, part of Europe’s most popular network of car magazines. Ranking first, in two critical areas: ‘traction and ‘aquaplaning,’ Fulda Progresso beat off strong competition from 10 other tyre brands achieving 20 out of 20 in aquaplaning and 10 out of 10 in traction.
Bridgestone Corp. reported first quarter 2006 sales of 704.7 billion yen, up 16.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2005, resulting in a 4 per cent bump in quarterly net profits to $239 million.
The company said that strong global sales helped offset heavy increases in raw material costs. Bridgestone said its tyre sales in Japan rose 10 per cent for the quarter, while sales in the US increased 25 per cent, and sales in Europe increased 13 per cent. Sales elsewhere jumped 37 per cent, Bridgestone said.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) plans to close its single largest tyre plant by the end of this year. BFNAT has issued a required Notice of Potential Plant Closure with the United Steelworks (USW) regarding its Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, plant, and said that “global market forces have made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to restore the plant to a competitive position, even with significant new capital investment.”
For 70 years, the Pneuservice Group has operated as a leader in tyre distribution. As one of the largest import/export distributors in Italy, Pneuservice deals with everything from scooter to passenger car, truck, and earthmover tyres, trading more than two million tyres per year. The group’s offices, depots, and more than 230 franchises are spread throughout Italy and are renowned for fast, efficient and courteous service.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Australia barely posted a profit for the first quarter of 2006 thanks to rising raw material costs, the company said. The company posted after tax profits of $270,000 (Australian dollar), down from $2.1 million for the same period last year, against sales of $124.9 million, up 1.2% from last year.
Toyo Engineering Corp. has received a contract for a synthetic rubber plant to be built by Bridgestone (Huizhou) Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd., a Bridgestone Corp. affiliate, in China. The plant will be constructed in the Huizhou Dayawan Economic and Technological Development Zone in Guangdong Province to produce 50,000 tonnes a year styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). The Rubber World report said Toyo is responsible for engineering, procurement of equipment and materials, and construction on a lump-sum basis, plus commissioning assistance. The plant is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2008.
Following the launch of Firestone’s nationwide publicity campaign, dealers are being urged to be ready to meet consumer demand. ‘Firestone Together’, which went live in tyre dealerships across the country on 1 May, is a consumer reward promotion designed to increase sales of the Firestone brand across the UK.
Staff from three First Stop dealerships have been treated to a VIP tour of one of Bridgestone’s major tyre manufacturing plants in France as part of a campaign to further increase knowledge within the network.
Representatives from Airway Tyres in Colchester, and the Lodge Tyres depots in both Walsall and Talke, near Stoke, were given a guided tour of the factory in Béthune, northern France. They received an in-depth insight into the whole tyre manufacturing process, from the combination of natural and synthetic rubber all the way through to the detailed and thorough quality control of the final product.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Corp. founder Shojiro Ishibashi is among seven individuals selected for induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame on 3 October. Joining Ishibashi in the class of 2006 are vehicle designer Nuccio Bertone, race driver Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR chief Bill France Jr., AutoNation founder Wayne Huizenga, former Ford president Arjay Miller and designer Bruno Sacco.
North Eastern Tyre & Exhausts has recently completed an extension to its main distribution centre’s warehousing and sees itself as a prime example of a company geared up to distribute high and ultra high performance tyres. Following several years of continuous focus on developing its product portfolio the company is now building its reputation as a specialist in this area of the market.
Aston Martin has teamed up with Bridgestone once again, choosing Potenza RE050A tyres for the new V8 Vantage, having previously fitted the ultra-high-performance tyres on the popular DB9. The new car is the most affordable Aston Martin launched to date, and fuses the marque’s traditional style with everyday usability. And like all Aston Martins, it offers electrifying performance and outstanding agility.
Bridgestone Europe NV/SA has announced that it will increase prices on all of its tyre brands and categories. It will apply to all replacement channels in all European countries. The increases are between 3.5 per cent and 5 per cent depending on the product category, and are scheduled to take effect from 1 June 2006.
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