Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
In addition to bringing its full line-up of new and retreaded truck and bus tyres to Reifen 2014, Bridgestone will show off its brand new range of Bridgestone-brand agricultural tyres for the first time ever. The company says all 550m2 of its two-storey booth will be used to showcase its full range of commercial products, including those of subsidiary brands Firestone, Bandag and Protread.
Bridgestone has put its money where its mouth is by adding a number of all-electric BMW i3 vehicles to the car pool attached to its European headquarters near Brussels, and by equipping the headquarters site with recharging points. The tyre maker says the presence of electric vehicles in its fleet underlines its faith in the concept of sustainable mobility.
Bridgestone has signed a development contract with Invitalia, Italy’s agency for inward investment promotion and enterprise development, for the upgrade of Bridgestone’s Modugno plant in Bari, which employs some 800 workers. A total of €41.3 million is being invested in the project, including a €12.4 million grant from Invitalia. The agreement between the tyre maker and government agency was signed in Rome by Bridgestone Italia CEO Roberto Mauro and Invitalia CEO Domenico Arcuri.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, Bridgestone achieved net sales of 863.6 billion yen (£5.0 billion), an 8.7 per cent year-on-year increase on the 1 January to 31 March 2013 quarter. Operating income was 116.3 billion yen (£677.1 million), up 56.3 per cent year-on-year, while operating margin rose from 9.4 per cent a year ago to 13.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2014. Net income increased 66.9 per cent year-on-year to 71.9 billion yen (£418.6 million).
Addressing speculation about Pirelli’s interest in MotoGP tyre supply after Bridgestone withdraws, Paul Hembery indicates that the Italian tyre maker isn’t pushing for selection. Crash.net reports that the WSBK series remains Pirelli’s focus. “We’re heavily involved with superbikes and the promoter is the same, so we are bound to have been in discussions, but there’s no plans at the moment to do anything,” commented Hembery at the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. “Our motorcycle team are reviewing that, but I have to say as a company we are very happy with our involvement in superbikes.”
Under restructuring measures Bridgestone is undertaking in the Asia region, Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. (BSAP) will expand its area of responsibility to include tyre operations in China. From 1 July, Bridgestone Asia Pacific – henceforth abbreviated to BSCAP – will become the head office in charge of both BSAP and Bridgestone (China) Investment Co. Ltd., the company’s current Chinese head office.
The recent launch of Bridgestone’s Battlax Hypersport S20 EVO is being supported by a new promotional film starring Valentino Rossi. The multiple MotoGP world champion served as motorcycle tyre adviser during the S20 EVO’s development, and in the film he puts the hypersport tyre through its paces on a Yamaha YZF-R1. The short film can be viewed here.
Bridgestone’s stand at the 2014 edition of the CV Show reflected the prevailing opinion that this year showed an upturn in attendance. The tyre manufacturer, exhibiting its Total Tyre Life, Total Tyre Services and Total Tyre Systems tyre management components, said it saw a 42 per cent increase in visitor numbers on the previous year’s event. Bridgestone said that it hoped to convert the additional exposure of its Total Tyre Care package into increased business.
It has now been sole tyre supplier to the World Superbike championship for more than ten years and is also partner to national championships, including British Superbike. But is Pirelli looking to further extend its two-wheel motorsport participation? Bikesportnews.com says it is. Matteo Giusti, the tyre maker’s racing and product communication manager, told BSN that Pirelli is currently discussing its “next steps regarding the possibility to make an offer for MotoGP.” He added that Michelin and Dunlop have also expressed interest in supplying the championship, however at present nothing has been decided.
After what will be fourteen years of involvement, Bridgestone will end its MotoGP tyre supply at the end of the 2015 season. Series organiser Dorna has agreed to extend Bridgestone’s current supply contract, which was due to expire after the current season, for one year, and the company says this will then be its final season as tyre supplier. As was the case when it reported in 2009 its intention to wrap up supply to Formula One, the tyre maker links its decision to cease MotoGP supply to a fulfillment of the objectives it set out for itself in the championship.
Bridgestone has renewed its largest fleet contract for a further five years. Announced at the CV Show, the deal with Ryder, the UK’s leading provider of commercial vehicle rental, contract hire and maintenance solutions, represents a multi-million pound deal covering more than 24,500 trucks and trailers. Bridgestone’s 24-hour tyre management service network Truck Point was cited as a major factor behind Ryder’s decision to opt for the brand.
Bridgestone has formed a technical partnership with Belgian motorcycle brand Saroléa, designer of the Saroléa SP7 electric superbike that was shown for the first time during the Speed Trophy at Belgium’s Mettet circuit on 26 April. The deal will see Bridgestone provide technical support and tyre expertise for Saroléa’s track testing and racing plans, which for 2014 include the TT Zero Challenge at the Isle of Man TT series and the FIM eRoadRacing world cup series.
Bridgestone Europe and Cam International have shared details of a new tablet based work management system designed to reduce back-office issues and improve data entry in the commercial vehicle tyre sector. Speaking at a fringe meeting during the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham on 29 April, Bridgestone Europe’s Neil Purves (senior manager, automated inspection and systems development commercial product) and Cam’s Steve Daly explained that the two companies have been in talks since the last CV Show and have now made a Europe-wide cooperation agreement culminating in the development of the project’s software.
The number of motoring publications available in Germany means we are never short of tyre test results. On 17 April, sport auto (issue 5/2014) published the results of its summer tyre comparative test; ten tyres in the popular dimension 225/40 R18 were tested, with sport auto selecting a mixture of UHP and comfort-oriented tyres for evaluation in 14 criteria, including six dry condition criteria (worth 50 per cent of the final result), six wet condition criteria (40 per cent of final result) and two environmental criteria (ten per cent of final result). The tyres were tested fitted to a VW Golf GTI.
Another comparative tyre test from a German magazine – this time Autozeitung Allrad (issue 2/2104) has put half a dozen 4×4 tyres through their paces. A Mercedes-Benz ML350 was used to test the 255/50 R19 W/Y tyres. Autozeitung Allroad rated four of the six tyres highly.
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