Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
Bridgestone reports over 300 potential business opportunities were recorded over the recent CV Show in Birmingham. In doing so the company claimed that Bridgestone had “the most impressive stand by a tyre manufacturer at the NEC, with its comprehensive packages of fleet support playing as prominent a role as its ranges of tyres”.
Lower unit sales and unfavourable currency effects dragged down Bridgestone Corporation’s sales and income in the first quarter of 2016, the company reports. Net sales dropped eight per cent year-on-year to ¥825.7 billion (£5.3 billion), while operating income was seven per cent lower at ¥108.4 billion (£689.9 million). Ordinary income fell 11 per cent to ¥103.4 billion (£658.1 million) and profit attributable to ‘owners of parent’ was, at ¥56.7 billion (£360.9 million), down 21 per cent.
Bridgestone is celebrating original equipment success after announcing contracts to supply tyres to the BMW 7 Series and X1.
The top-of-the-range luxury BMW 7 Series saloon, launched in July 2015, is equipped with Bridgestone Potenza S001 UHP sport tyres in six sizes, all with the added safety of RFT (Run Flat Technology). Potenza S001 is Bridgestone’s flagship UHP tyre engineered for high-speed performance.
Bridgestone Europe has confirmed the planned closure of two sites in Germany operated by its Rome, Italy-based Bridgestone Technical Center Europe S.p.A. The facilities in Bad Vilbel, north of Frankfurt, and at the Nürburgring are expected to close this autumn.
Bridgestone and MRF have tied for first place in JD Power’s latest India Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Index (TCSI) Study. However, while they both ranked first in overall customer satisfaction, scoring 881. Bridgestone performed well in terms of ride (883) and MRF performed particularly well in appearance (884). Apollo came third, with JK Tyre fourth and Goodyear in fifth.
Bridgestone has called on the UK Government to implement mandatory fines on motorists who drive with defective or worn tyres. The manufacturer said the UK should follow Ireland’s lead in the interests of road safety; the Irish minister for transport, tourism and sport, Paschal Donohoe announced the new fixed charge notice (FCN) offence for motorists in mid-April, with fines of €80 now in effect.
Bridgestone tyres are being fitted as standard equipment on Honda’s new fuel cell vehicle, the Clarity Fuel Cell. The hydrogen-powered vehicle was introduced at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and launched in Japan last month, and wears the Bridgestone Ecopia EP160 in size 235/45R18 94W. Honda intends to introduce the Clarity Fuel Cell into selected European markets this year.
Although not all the big names in the OTR tyre sector were present this year at Bauma, Bridgestone said it was “only natural” for it as a major supplier to be there. The Japanese manufacturer’s tyre activities were represented at the construction and mining segments trade fair by a new crane tyre range, new sizes and original equipment fitments, and Bridgestone also placed a particular focus upon its ‘Total Tyre Care’ concept. This now includes a recently-commenced partnership with German retreading specialist, Rösler Tyre Innovators.
Bridgestone returns to the Reifen Essen with a 550m² two-storey booth (Hall 3, stand 3C36) showcasing “a wide range of commercial products” including truck and bus tyres, agricultural tyres, and off-the-road tyres as well as the DriveGuard technology and other passenger car products – the first time Bridgestone has car tyres to Essen in the last 10 years
Bridgestone has been made an official project partner for the Aston Martin DB11, slated to be launched later in 2016. The tyre manufacturer will support Aston Martin with a series of technical developments, durability testing and global media launches, including the use of its European Proving Ground in Aprilia, Italy. Tyres & Accessories first reported Bridgestone and Aston Martin’s partnership from the Geneva Motorshow 2016 in February.
Bridgestone Americas has announced that Giacomo Bertaina will join the company as its vice-president, Global Digital Enablement Center. The tyre maker says this newly-created role is part of its ongoing efforts to enhance its global digital marketing strategy and encourage greater collaboration across regions and subsidiary business units. Bertaina will be based at the company’s Americas headquarters office in Nashville and provide leadership for all global digital marketing activities.
While winter tyres are still more or less a niche product in the UK – Bridgestone says only around eight per cent of motorists drive on winter tyres – across Europe this figure is much higher. A number of drivers succumb to the temptation of keeping their winter tyres fitted all year round, and doing so is perfectly legal – yet few realise the extent to which this can compromise their vehicle’s braking performance.
The Bridgestone off-the-road crane tyre range has been extended through the introduction of the VHS2 (V-steel Highway Service 2). According to Bridgestone, the VHS2 is designed to provide longer-lasting performance and a better return on investment for today’s all-terrain cranes.
This month’s launch of the DriveGuard, the first Bridgestone run-flat tyre for the European aftermarket, is being backed up by an advertising campaign that targets consumers in key markets. The DriveGuard ‘extended mobility’ campaign begins in April and centres on the idea that somewhere out there “there’s a puncture waiting with your name on it.”
Jon Kimpel has been appointed the new executive director of marketing for GCR Tires & Service, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations’ (BATO) commercial vehicle tyre retail and service network in the US and eastern Canada. He fills the vacancy left by Chris Ripani, who was named president of BATO subsidiary Speedco late last year.
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