Firestone Archives - Page 15 of 54 - Tyrepress

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Woman Avoids Prison for Bridgestone-Firestone Embezzlement

An American woman that embezzled more than US$200,000 from Bridgestone Firestone over a nine-year period will avoid spending time in prison after pleading guilty to theft and two counts of forgery. Janet Lazdins from Indianapolis pleaded guilty in August to taking around $215,000 from the company between 1997 and 2006, and on December 15, Madison Superior Court 3 Judge Thomas Newman on Monday gave her a three-year suspended prison term and ordered her to spend three years on probation.

18th December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Firestone Liberia Celebrates Medical Centre Re-Opening

Firestone Liberia celebrated on December 12 the official reopening of the Firestone Medical Center at Duside, in the city of Harbel, as an inpatient facility. Several VIP guests attended the one-hour ceremony to commemorate this milestone, including Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and US Ambassador to Liberia Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

According to Bridgestone, the hospital was severely damaged during Liberia’s 14-year civil war and all of its medical equipment was either stolen or destroyed. The company adds that rebuilding and reopening of the hospital represents the fulfilment of one of Firestone Liberia’s commitments to the nation of Liberia under its investment agreement with the country.

15th December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Alliance Tire USA Names Two Key Positions

Alliance Tire USA has appointed James Tuschner to the role of marketing director and Michael Aguon territory manager for the company’s eastern region.

“He (Tuschner) is helping us establish a new warehouse in the United States, create new strategies with innovative dealers, and distributors and broaden Alliance’s footprint in North America,” said Alliance Tire USA president Manny Cicero. Prior to joining Alliance Tuschner held a marketing role with Denman Tire Corporation.

8th December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Bandag Announces Redundancies

An announcement made by Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) on December 3 signals the end of the line for its Oncor Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS) plant in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, redundancies are being made at other US sites. Approximately 60 jobs will be lost in total; Bridgestone says the closure and redundancies are occurring in response to reduced demand for its truck tyres and retreads, as well as an alignment of operations under the Bandag name.

5th December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Decreased Demand Equals a Longer Christmas for Bridgestone Plant

Due to reduced demand for passenger car tyres, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire is halting production at its Wilson, North Carolina factory for a longer period over the Christmas break. Originally the plant was scheduled to operate between December 28 and 30, however the decision has been taken to remain closed between December 24 through to January 1.

26th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

City May Buy Old Firestone HQ

The city of Akron may buy Bridgestone Americas’ current R&D center for $5 million is the company cannot sell the properties. The tyre company plans to try to sell the three buildings in question on the open market. Failing that, it may consider selling them to Akron, according to news reports.

Bridgestone Americas, with aid from state and local governments, is building a new technical center in Akron. The new $100-million project would replace the nearly 100-year-old main building on South Main St., which once served as the world headquarters and primary tire plant for Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. (Tire Review/Akron)

26th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone’s Emkes Appointed to Banking Group BOD

On November 19, Tennessee, US based banking group First Horizon National Corporation named Bridgestone Americas Holding chairman and CEO Mark Emkes as one of the group’s two new board members. This appointment took effect immediately. Mr. Emkes has also been appointed to serve on the Compensation Committee and the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

25th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone North American OE for Nissan 370Z

Nissan’s latest ‘Z car’, the upcoming 2009 Nissan 370Z sports coupe, is to be supplied to North American customers with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tyres as original equipment. Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire is supplying a summer fitment of the Potenza in size 245/40R19 94W Potenza RE050A for the front wheels and 275/35R19 96W Potenza RE050A for the rear.

“This extremely high-performance vehicle is a perfect platform to showcase the performance capabilities of the Bridgestone-brand Potenza tyres,” said Michael Martini, president, Consumer OE Tire Sales, BFNT. “Nissan really upped the ante on the new-generation Z roadster, we’re proud to be part of the excitement as this high-profile vehicle is unveiled to the world.”

24th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Firestone Plant Awarded ‘Green’ LEED Certification

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire’s (BFNT) Warren County tyre production facility in Tennessee has earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certification from the US Green Building Council. LEED certification is a recognition of outstanding environmental building design and utilisation that is rarely given to existing manufacturing sites. This is, says BFNT, the first LEED certification for a tyre factory in the world.

18th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Extends Liberia Cargo Program

Bridgestone Americas’ Firestone Natural Rubber Co. announced that it would extend its cargo donation program through 2009. “Week after week we receive new applications from charitable organizations wanting to help the people of Liberia,” said Dan Adomitis, president of the unit. “Their generosity combined with Liberia’s need for humanitarian aid has convinced us here at Firestone that this program will continue to have a great impact over the coming year.”

In the program, which started in 2006, Bridgestone Americas provides space on its ships for relief goods and other donated cargo from U.S.-based charitable organizations to help Liberians. Fifteen 20-foot containers of medicine, food, generators, building materials and other supplies have been shipped so far this year, with several more scheduled for late 2008. (Tire Review/Akron)

13th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Firestone Natural Rubber Extends Cargo Donation Programme

The cargo donation programme operated by the Firestone Natural Rubber Company will be extended through 2009, the company announced on November 7. Through the programme, intended to help rebuild Liberia after its 14-year civil war, Firestone provides space on its ships for relief goods and other donated cargo from US-based charitable organisations. Since 2006, when the cargo donation programme was formalised, more than 60 shipments have fulfilled the programme’s approval requirement and been scheduled for shipping to the port of Monrovia. Fifteen 20-foot containers of medicine, food, generators, building materials and other supplies have been shipped so far this year, with several more scheduled for late 2008.

10th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Smithers Names Polovick VP Human Resources

Michael J. Polovick has joined The Smithers Group based in Akron as vice president of human resources, a newly created position, responsible for overseeing HR activities at all of the Group’s member companies worldwide. Polovick brings more than 30 years’ experience as an HR professional.

10th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

TIA, Bridgestone Announce US Auto Training Collaboration

In the US, the Tire Industry Association (TIA) and Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT) have announced that they will offer TIA’s Basic Automotive Training Service (ATS) course via BFNT’s Bridgestone Consumer Tire Education Network. TIA’s ATS Program is designed to meet the need for properly-documented training amongst new employees. Comprised of eight modules, the course covers topics such as the basic principles of tyres and wheels (including sizing and sidewall information), diagnosing tyre and wheel problems and step-by-step procedures for installing one-piece and two-piece nail-hole repairs in passenger and light truck tyres.

TIA executive vice president, Roy Littlefield, stated that, “TIA is proud to offer Bridgestone-brand dealers the opportunity to take advantage of our superior Basic ATS course from the convenience of their computers. This is yet another example of TIA meeting the ever-changing needs of the tire industry.”

7th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Acknowledged for US Recycling Initiative

As a member of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) programme, Bridgestone’s BFS Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC (BFRC) was honoured recently at the WasteWise & NPEP Conference for recycling some 145,000 kilograms of lead from lead wheel weights in 2007.

In addition to its ongoing efforts to further reduce the impact of lead on the environment, BFRC launched a US-wide environmental initiative in January 2008 to install non-toxic steel wheel weights instead of lead weights in its customers’ vehicles. BFRC, a member of the Bridgestone Americas (BSA) family, was the first of the major chains in the automotive repair industry to make the switch to steel wheel weights in this market. All of BFRC’s approximately 2,000 US automotive service store locations are switching to more ecologically sensitive, non-toxic steel weights, replacing millions of lead wheel weights each year.

7th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bandag Adds New Sizes to R250 ED Range

Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS) is adding two sizes to its line-up of Bridgestone R250 ED all-position radial tyres. Regional and pickup-and-delivery fleets now have more options with the new 255/70R22.5 and 275/70R22.5 tyre sizes.

“The R250 ED is suitable for use by pickup and delivery fleets, moving vans, auto haulers and rural school bus fleets. As these vehicles often experience tight cornering, this tyre is designed to provide sidewall protection from twisting, scraping and scrubbing, and tread protection from cutting and chipping,” says Guy Walenga, director, Engineering, Commercial Products and Technologies, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire. “The addition of these new sizes allows us to better serve regional and pickup-and-delivery fleets in high-scrub urban or mild on/off highway environments, particularly for those using trailers.”

29th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors