Bridgestone North America Raises Prices
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) announced that it was raising prices on its Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, associate and private brand tire lines by up to 8%.
Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) announced that it was raising prices on its Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, associate and private brand tire lines by up to 8%.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, will increase buying in China to a tenth of its global sourcing by 2010 from just 1 per cent now. That could boost sourcing in China to about $800 million within the next five years, chief executive Robert Keegan told Reuters, as the firm, which carries a heavy debt load, strives to lower costs.
“We purchase about $8 billion of both raw materials and other products and services…10 per cent would be $800 million, so it’s a considerable increase for us,” Mr Keegan said. The American firm is racing against rivals Michelin and Bridgestone Corp to supply China’s $6 billion tyre market, which state media has said is half controlled by foreign companies and grew about 30 per cent to some 239 million units in 2004.
Keegan said the firm would invest $120 million to double the capacity of its factory in the northern port city of Dalian to 5.3 million tyres annually. The expansion is expected to be completed by early 2007, he said.
Bridgestone has officially opened its Chinese Jiangsu Province facility that produces rubber anti-vibration components for automobiles in China. The plant is in the city of Changzhou, about 160 kilometres west of Shanghai.
Present at the ceremony were representatives from the Chinese government and municipal officials, as well as from Bridgestone. Tatsuya Okajima, a Bridgestone board member responsible for original equipment, and Hiromichi Odagiri a vice president and senior officer who serves as chief representative of Bridgestone tyre operations in China attended the event.
The FIA World Motor Sport Council has released an official statement confirming that there will be no rule changes in Formula 1 until 2008, according to Adrivo Sportpresse.
A control tyre will not be introduced in F1 before the end of 2007 stated the press release.
Bridgestone received the news well, commenting that the absence of a control tyre keeps healthy competition thriving between the tyre manufacturers.
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, (BFNT) has signed a new sponsorship agreement with Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR). The Firestone brand will now serve as the official tyre of PPIR for the Indy Racing League’s Honda Indy 225 IndyCar Series race on 21 August.
“Becoming the Official Tyre at Pikes Peak International Raceway provides us a tremendous opportunity at Firestone,” said Al Speyer, executive director of motorsports, BFNT. “PPIR is in a great setting, with Pikes Peak and the Rocky Mountains as a majestic backdrop, and in the middle of a growing Colorado market where the Firestone brand is assured of receiving excellent exposure. We’re quite pleased with the agreement and look forward to building on the Firestone-PPIR relationship to make racing even more popular with area fans.”
(Akron/Tire Review) Even after reports that negotiators had to take a break to accommodate the upcoming NCAA men’s basketball championships in St. Louis and the United Steelworkers of America’s (USWA) April national convention in Las Vegas, there remain concerns on whether the USWA and Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) can resolve their apparently deep differences and reach agreement on a new master contract.
(Australia/Tyre Review) There is no immediate end in sight to the global off-road tyre shortage, according to a recent report from Australia, and most tyremakers in Australia say things will remain tight for at least another year – perhaps longer.
According to the news report, the causes of the shortfall include the Chinese economy, which is taking large numbers of OTR tyres directly, heavy Chinese demand for raw materials which has increased demand for rubber-tyred mining equipment, worldwide rubber shortages, and a lack of investment in expanding tyre production.
Before launching its Greatec single drive tyres, incorporating the Aircept safety system, on to the market, Bridgestone subjected it to prolonged and extensive testing.
For the record, the Aircept system consists of an inner tube which, in the case of a tyre blow-out, expands to support the tyre at around half its normal pressure and enables the driver to continue his journey.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) and truck leasing giant Ryder System Inc have extended their agreement in which BFNAT supplies new medium truck radials to Ryder and Bandag Inc provides retreading services. The agreement began in 1990, according to BFNAT.
Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK has appointed Jason Tyers as regional sales manager for the North, as part of the overall restructuring of its commercial department. The appointment follows the recent introduction of Clive Powell as director of Goodyear Dunlop’s Commercial Department.
Bridgestone has taken the blame for Ferrari’s poor start to the Formula 1 season. Bridgestone Motorsport’s technical director Hirohide Hamashima told the daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday that there was no doubt tyres were to blame. “Even if the entire package is important, in this race the responsibility for such a negative result is undoubtedly down to our tyres,” said Mr Hamashima.
Seven teams in Formula 1 use Michelin tyres, including Renault who have won both races so far this season. “The fact that (Fernando) Alonso and (Jarno) Trulli lapped a couple of seconds faster than us is certainly not explainable by different fuel loads. Obviously we have had long discussions with Ferrari to create tyres of a new generation and we are counting on having found some that will allow us quickly to be competitive again,” said the Bridgestone chief.
Michelin equipped Fernando Alonso dominated the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, winning by 24.3 seconds. Jarno Trulli, who scored Toyota’s first podium in Formula 1, took second place. Williams’ Nick Heidfeld was third with Juan Pablo Montoya fourth for McLaren. David Coulthard was sixth ahead of Michael Schumacher, who started 13th, while Jenson Button retired after three laps with engine failure. Seventh place Schumacher was the only Bridgestone driver to end up in the top eight, with teammate Rubens Barrichello retiring.
(Akron/Tire Review) Speculation that Bridgestone is “unhappy” with its Formula 1 partner Ferrari is “totally untrue,” according to Adrian Atkinson, Bridgestone’s F1 media delegate.
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) has announced that its Bridgestone brand Turanza EL40002 tyre will be original equipment on the 2006 Cadillac DTS recently introduced at this year’s Chicago Auto Show. The Turanza EL40002 “premium touring” tyre will be supplied in size P245/50R18 99H and has a UTQG rating of 300 A/A, said BFNAT. The new OE fitment “represents the first-ever application of a Bridgestone brand tyre at Cadillac,” said Michael Martini, president of BFNAT’s OE consumer tire division. “It also marks the first of several fitments we will be launching with Cadillac over the next year.”
Bridgestone is unhappy with Ferrari, according to speculation in the Italian media and online news sources. In the run up to the Malaysian Grand Prix, and a potential Bahrain debut of the team’s new F2005 car, Bridgestone had asked for either Michael Schumacher or Rubens Barrichello to return to Europe. Instead of assisting the supplier with the development of the car’s new custom built tyre, Michael Schumacher took a holiday in South Malaysia, while Rubens Barichello went home to Brazil, the Home of F1 news site reported. Luca Badoer and Marc Gene are reported to have participated in the testing on the lead drivers’ behalf.
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