Bridgestone OE Success At Ferrari
The Bridgestone Potenza S-02 is the oe tyre for the new Ferrari 360 Modena. The sizes are 215/40 ZR 18 (front) and 275/40 ZR 18 (rear).
Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
Tag Archive for: Bridgestone
Acceleration For The Firestone Tyre Recall
Product NewsIn an attempt to quicken the recall of tyres, Bridgestone/Firestone is to airlift tyres from its Japanese plants to the USA. At least one flight a day is anticipated. Ford has announced that it is to stop production of the Ford Explorer at its St. Louis factory and of the Ford Ranger at two New Jersey plants for two weeks. The Ranger is fitted with the same size tyres as those fitted on the Explorer and being recalled by Bridgestone/Firestone. The move will free up 70,000 tyres for replacement and it is estimated that the cost to Ford in lost production will be over $100 m in after-tax profits. Ford is also understood to have increased orders of tyres other than Firestone to speed up replacement of tyres for the Explorer. Goodyear says it has increased production fivefold and production at Michelin’s US factories has tripled.
Kaizaki Dismisses Bankruptcy Rumours
Product NewsAt a press conference, Bridgestone president Yoichiro Kaizaki dismissed rumours that claims for damages in the USA could force Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. into bankruptcy. The company has set aside $450 million to cover claims and any extra needed could come from the US company’s reserves, estimated at $2.3 billion. Despite the reassurance, Bridgestone shares fell by over 13 per cent in Tokyo.
US Unions Target Bridgestone
Product NewsAs a matter of practice, US unions choose one tyre maker as the basis for labour negotiations, targeting standard contracts for the coming year to apply to the other tyre companies also. This year they have decided to negotiate with Bridgestone/Firestone.
Free Inspection Of 4×4 Tyres In Europe Offered By Bridgestone
NewsBridgestone/Firestone is offering European motorists a free inspection of 4×4 tyres made in the USA. This covers 24 types of tyres, around 13,000 of which have been imported into Europe over the past decade. The company estimates that only half this number are still on the road and it will replace them free if the customer is still worried after inspection. Nine sizes are involved.
OE Contracts For Bridgestone
Product NewsNissan has chosen Bridgestone Potenza RE040 tyres for the limited edition (200 for sale in the UK only) R34 version of its Skyline GTR. The Skyline was the first production car to lap the 14-mile Nurburgring circuit in under eight minutes. Bridgestone has also been chosen as exclusive OE for the six-litre Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Coupe and Vantage Volante cars. The tyre in question is the Bridgestone S-02.
Element Of Surprise In Tokyo And Hanover
Product NewsThe Bridgestone Group seems to be surprised by the Joint-Venture of Goodyear and Michelin regarding the PAX and Run Flat Technologies. The Group is ‘studying and analysing the project’. Somebody, who does not want to be named, said there was also surprise in Hanover when a French colleague or competitor called a few days before the announcement.
Expert “Was Aware Of Firestone Problems In 1999”
Product NewsA tyre expert hired by Bridgestone/Firestone has identified cracks in the belt skim – the rubber compound used to bond steel belts – as the cause of problems with some Firestone tyres. However, another tyre consultant, Rex Grogan, said that he told the company back in April 1999 that he had found the same problem. He blamed the use of inexperienced personnel working at the Decatur plant during a labour dispute.
Reifen-Köhrich becomes Bridgestone Partner
Product NewsReifen Köhrich, the dealer which has ten outlets in Berlin, has chosen to become Bridgestone’s partner in the “First Stop” programme. The contract runs for ten years and was signed 14th March.
CAS Sues Ford And Bridgestone
Product NewsIn the USA, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS), the consumer group founded by Ralph Nader, has filed a lawsuit against Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone to try to force the companies to replace all Firestone ATX, ATX II and Wilderness tyres, irrespective of tyre size or place of manufacture. CAS says that the numbers involved would be at least double the current recall figure of 6.5 million tyres.
Recall Almost Completed For Bridgestone/Firestone
Product NewsBridgestone Firestone has announced that it has provided customers with 5.5 million P235/75R15 ATX, ATXII and some Wilderness AT tires in under four months of the recall process. The firm also advised that there are sufficient stocks of new tyres to replace the outstanding numbers of tyres under the recall – waiting lists in most areas have now been eliminated. It had originally been thought that it would take a full year to reach this stage in the recall. According to John Lampe , CEO at Bridgestone Firestone Inc., “No major automotive recall has achieved such significant results in so short a period (…). The next step is to determine the root causes of the problem that led to the recall.”
Juan Carlos Visits BS/FS Plant In Burgos
Product NewsKing Juan Carlos recently visited Bridgestone/Firestone plant in Burgos, one of the group’s three tyre plants in Spain. The reason for the visit was the 100th birthday of Firestone this year. In 1990 Burgos was the group’s first European tyre factory to start producing Bridgestone-branded tyres, at that time Firestone’s new parent company.
Closure Of Bridgestone US Factory “Cannot Be Ruled Out”
Product NewsQuoted in the Asian Wall Street Journal, Bridgestone President Yoichiro Kaizaki said that the company’s factory in Decatur could be temporarily closed, should improvements need to be made. Mr. Kaizaki also said that permanent closure of the plant could not be ruled out.
Stock Exchange Unfriendly Towards Tyre Manufacturers
NewsWhile Pirelli and Toyo shares – although only from time to time – displayed an upward trend in February, most of the other important tyre manufacturers (for example Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Goodyear and Michelin) were among the losers. Their shares have fallen to a new 52-week low, but shares in Yokohama rose 20 per cent at the end of February.
As Expected: Firestone Recalls 4×4 Tyres
NewsThe Ford Explorer has come under pressure because of a supposed series of accidents, blamed on allegedly faulty Firestone tyres. Both Ford and Bridgestone Firestone are strenuously denying the allegations. Firestone is the biggest tyre supplier for Ford’s Explorer and Expedition SUVs and the Aiken factory (opened last year) depends heavily on this business. The plant has an annual capacity of ten million tyres, of which nearly half are destined for Ford. After US retailer Sears Roebuck has taken some types of Firestone tyres off its shelves for this reason, in Tokyo, shares in Bridgestone fell by 8.8% at the news. In the US, Bridgestone/Firestone suggested at first that customers visit their B/F dealer for a tyre check but then decided to recall voluntarily ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tyres. The only size involved is the 235/75 R 15. This can count for up to 6.5 million tyres. This information was given in a press conference on 9th August in Washington D.C. The replacement will start in the south states of the USA because the problem often occurred in hot weather. The customer will be given a new tyre free of charge regardless of the condition of the old one. Firestone are also immediately recalling tyres from its 4×4 Wilderness range in Europe. Only one size is affected and relatively small numbers are involved. It is expected that the cost to Firestone could reach US$ 500 million. There are also rumours that Ford – itself coming under growing pressure – intends to change tyre suppliers for its Explorer and Expedition models. Industry observers have expressed surprise at how badly Firestone is managing the public relations aspect of the current crisis.
