Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
Bridgestone has donated £2,000 to a voluntary first aid service in Warwick in order to buy a defibrillator, new uniform and premium tyres for its four ambulances. The Leamington based brand says the Warwick Ambulance Association support demonstrates its commitment to vital community causes.
Giti Tire has announced the appointments of Robert Koutny as sales director Eastern Europe, and Maurizio Moleri as truck and bus manager for Spain and Portugal. The manufacturer has been building its European team throughout 2013 since officially launching its GT Assist commercial vehicle roadside service assistance programme in the UK and Republic of Ireland in January.
Data from Bridgestone’s Safety Campaign 2012 has revealed that 78.3 per cent of tyres on the 28,700 cars inspected across Europe throughout the year were under-inflated to varying degrees. Additionally, 25.6 per cent of the tyre population was found to be worn below 1.6mm. The company completes a survey during its safety check workshops across Europe each year, and the latest data shows an increase in the number of tyres found to be under-inflated.
If you offer a premium “premium product” then you need to be offering a “premium service” – not just before and during the sales experience, but after it as well. That’s the philosophy held by Continental, a mindset that is increasingly resulting in upgraded processes and procedures and further use of technology to support customers and consumers after they have made their purchases. Along with the aim of offering a premium level of aftersales service to match what the company believes are the highest premium levels of its products. Several steps forward have already been made and several more are set to follow; they are all part of the company’s goal to lead the industry in this respect. And with aftersales performance amongst tyre manufacturers in general being variable, the company sees this as a particularly key way of demonstrating its overall value.
Bridgestone aims to bring high performance to the smaller, sporty version of evergreen mass market brands with the Potenza Adrenalin RE002. The manufacturer describes this as being “designed with the sport conscious, thrill seeking driver in mind, possessing the ability to transform any car into a spirited, superior vehicle.” It has a line-up of sizes that includes 15 to 16 inch fitments for models such as the Fiesta RS and sports model Astra. It is, in Bridgestone’s opinion, “at its best on Britain’s maze of B roads and lanes.”
Just Tyres has opened a new centre in Newbury, Berkshire on the site formerly run by A&B Tyres. The independent garage reportedly invested more than £500,000 in the new centre, creating six new jobs in the process. This investment, including extensive renovation work and new state-of-the-art machinery, is being backed by Bridgestone, which is offering a series of sales incentives to coincide with discount offers on its range at the store.
As a manufacturer of inflatable products, it could be considered rather apt that the world’s largest tyre-maker should use compressed air to its advantage in its promotional activities. Two new eight metre radius displays, utilised so far at Donington Circuit, the Yorkshire Show, Props and Pistons and the CLA Game Fair, are helping Bridgestone to increase its impact at outdoor events in 2013.
Jorge Lorenzo took his Yamaha to a second successive MotoGP victory on Sunday, as tyre management came into play in sweltering conditions at the Circuit de Catalunya. Several riders crashed out as a result of reduced front-end grip, and Lorenzo spoke of the challenge provided by the conditions: “Today was the hottest race this year and physically it was very hard.” He later suggested to Autosport.com that the front tyre may have been “too soft”, while adding that the riders were requesting harder compounds from tyre supplier, Bridgestone. Shinji Aoki, manager of Bridgestone Motorsport’s Tyre Development Department, pointed out that all works riders had chosen to use the softer rear slick, which he said had performed well given the harsh conditions.
Late last month a new organisation was formed to represent tyre makers in a region some refer to as the “tyre capital of North America”. The establishment of the Tire Manufacturers’ Council was announced by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce on 29 May; it says the council’s aim is to “evaluate and propose policies relating to the manufacture of tyres in South Carolina.” Foundation members include Michelin North America, Bridgestone Americas and Continental Tire the Americas.
The National Tyre Distributors Association has unveiled its 2013 shortlist for each of the five balloted categories in the Tyre & Fast Fit Awards. The Association also called for nominations for the Innovation Award and for the Tyre Centre of the Year Award, entering its third year as part of the annual British tyre industry Oscars. Voting this year will be 100 per cent online, with NTDA members and non-members alike eligible to vote. The Awards are sponsored by speciality chemicals group Lanxess for the second successive year, and the media partner is Tyres & Accessories magazine.
Bridgestone New Zealand has reported making the most profit in a decade last year and has paid its first dividend since 2007. Net profit leapt from NZ$1.9 million in 2011 to $10.2 million (£5.2 million) last year. Sales rose 3.5 per cent to $218.5 million (£110.7 million).
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations has announced the realignment of three business areas, Technology, Manufacturing and Procurement. It says this realignment will create a “more integrated team equipped to deliver on the company’s brand promise more fully.”
Bridgestone has launched its latest online marketing campaign, utilising a new website, beeneverywhere.eu, social media and video in its effort to position the brand as “innovative and interactive”. Revolving around exploring the world, the video is set to a soundtrack based on Johnny Cash’s ‘I’ve been everywhere, man’. Jake Rønsholt, general manager, corporate and brand communications at Bridgestone Europe explained: “Part of the beauty of the campaign is that visitors to the main site can do exactly that, on just about any device.
Young Redditch motocross rider Rob Yates’ hopes for national stardom were given a boost today when tyre manufacturer Bridgestone agreed to become his official sponsor. Aged 15, Yates has gradually moved up in stages from 50cc to 125cc bikes and is currently preparing for the British schoolboy Finals later in the year. Bridgestone will supply him with his tyres for the year, as well as essential racing gear.
While Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli has sought an end to some of the teams’ gripes about its current P Zero tyre specifications, the question of whether it will remain in the series after the expiration of its current contract remains in doubt. A similar list of names to that previously generated in mid-2010 has been circulated, when Bridgestone announced its withdrawal from the series. However, for at least one major player it appears the lack of development time and uncertainty about rule changes in the short to medium term mean that 2014 is too soon to enter the world’s most high-profile motorsport series.
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