Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
Bridgestone Corporation shares that Yves Kerstens, chief technology officer of its Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. subsidiary, will leave the company on 31 December 2017. Yoshikazu Shida, currently director of Bridgestone Corporation’s Public Relations and Environmental External Relations division, will succeed him in this position in early January.
US-based truck service and tyre care chain Speedco now has a new owner following the finalisation of its acquisition by Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores. Previously owned by Bridgestone Americas, the Speedco network contains more than 52 outlets across the USA; its acquisition means the number of Love’s-operated tyre service and lube facilities climbs to more than 320.
Last month, Bridgestone Corporation acquired 1.976 million of its common shares. The company reports that the acquisition of these shares cost more than 10.56 billion yen (£70.4 million).
No less than five new Bridgestone Battlax motorcycle tyres will be shown to the public for the first time at EICMA 2017 this month. The touring, adventure, scooter and racing segment tyres will be on display at the Bridgestone stand (Hall 24, Stand G57) between 7 and 12 November. The new additions to the Battlax range are:
A further two products are joining the range of Dayton truck tyres available in European markets. Manufactured in Europe by Bridgestone, the first sizes in the D550S steer tyre and D650D drive tyre lines come to market this month.
CDP, the UK-based non-profit global environmental disclosure platform formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project, has named Bridgestone Corporation to this year’s Water A List. More than 700 companies were assessed by CDP, and Bridgestone one of only 73 companies named to the A List.
Bridgestone has been selected by Porsche to be a tyre supplier for the third generation Porsche Cayenne. The Dueler H/P Sport which is being fitted to the Cayenne in the 19-inch front 255/55 ZR19 and rear 275/50 ZR19 sizes and the 20-inch front 275/45 ZR20 and rear 305/40 ZR20 sizes, was fully developed at the Bridgestone European Technical Centre in Rome. The tyres will be produced at the Bridgestone plant in Poznan, Poland and will bear the marking ‘N0’ on the sidewall to denote their original equipment status.
Bridgestone Corporation today announced the outline of its Mid-term Management Plan for 2017 (2017MTP), which covers the five years from 2018 to 2022. The 2017MTP continues the Bridgestone Group focus, held since the 2013MTP, on three key subjects – cultivating global corporate culture, developing human resources capable of global management, and upgrading the company’s global management structure.
Approximately 266 million euros are to be invested into three key Bridgestone production sites in Europe. In a statement covering its plans, Bridgestone Europe shares that funds will be directed towards expanding capacity at its Burgos facility in Spain and the Poznan and Stargard sites in Poland. The expansion projects will take places in phases over the coming five years, with all upgrades expected to be completed by early 2022.
Damien Harmon has been appointed president of GCR Tires & Service, a commercial vehicle tyre and service network operated by Bridgestone in North America. The current chief operating officer of Bridgestone Retail Operations will take up his new position on 1 November. He succeeds John Vasuta, who was named senior vice-president, global sales, Firestone Building Products.
Operations at the Firestone Fibers and Textiles plant in Woodstock, Canada will cease by the end of next year, reports Bridgestone Canada Inc. The company’s decision to close the facility, whose product portfolio includes reinforcement materials for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, will affect a total of 170 employees. Bridgestone intends to close the plant in phases, beginning 31 December 2017 and culminating in the total cessation of operations in the second half of 2018.
A new generation of Bridgestone grooved racing tyre for supersport and hypersport bikes will come to market at the start of next year. The Battlax Racing R11, successor to the R10 T-2, will be introduced between January and March in two front and six rear sizes. All R11 sizes will be available in medium compound, and a soft option will also be available in certain sizes.
Paisley based Caledonian Tyres has unveiled a £250,000 refurbishment, which aims to position it as one of the most advanced retread tyre centres in the country. One of the Bandag network’s largest franchise partners, Caledonian Tyres’ development of its facility features improved factory facilities, new look offices, improved equipment and an eye-catching rebrand of the entire premises. The company states that the investment underlines the strength of the commercial retread tyre market, and follows investments made at Lincolnshire-based Bulldog, another large Bandag franchise.
Firestone has launched its 2017 Battle of the Bands competition, with Orange Amplification and Wolf Alice bassist Theo Ellis. The contest provides hundreds of acts the opportunity to showcase their music, as well as win more than £2,000 worth of Orange Amplification equipment, studio time worth around £1,500, and support towards the creation of an EP.
Following an extensive period of negotiations with Lodge Tyres, Bridgestone has agreed to sell its share capital in Kingsway Tyres. Lodge has completed the acquisition of the Kingsway retail business, which operates from 15 depots, predominantly in the east of England. Indeed the Kingsway website already features Lodge Group branding and refers to 16 depots, suggesting some degree of reorganising and/or re-branding has already taken place.
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