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New Super Wide from BFNAT

Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire has launched a new super wide on/off highway radial. The Bridgestone L315, according to BFNAT, was “engineered for long mileage, superior traction and outstanding flotation.” The L315, with a 30/32nd tread depth, was designed for extra-heavy loads, such as front-discharge cement mixers with front-wheel or all-wheel drive, as well as dump trucks, specialty oil-field equipment and on/off-highway construction vehicles. The super wide Bridgestone L315 has an L load rating, good for up to 12,300 pounds at 120 psi. It is now available in size 445/65R22.5. (Tire Review/Akron)

28th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNAT Super Bowl Spots Set

Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire’s sponsorship of the NFL and the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show will certainly give the company’s Bridgestone brand massive exposure. And BFNAT plans to leverage the opportunity with two commercial spots during the game on February 3.

Even though BFNAT had bought two 30-second commercial spots for the broadcast, the tyremaker produced three TV spots. The two schedule spots – entitled “Scream” and “Unexpected Obstacles” – will air during the second and third quarters. The third spot – “Lucky Dog,” a 60-second commercial – will now be used in movie theatres nationwide, and will begin rolling after the Super Bowl.

Rocker Alice Cooper and weight loss guru Richard Simmons appear in the Scream spot. The Richards Group developed and produced all three commercials. (Tire Review/Akron)

28th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyremakers, Safety Group Cannot Appeal TPMS Decision

An attempt to challenge a NHTSA rule that allows vehicle manufacturers to fit US market cars with indirect TPMS systems rather than a direct system has been dismissed by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The plaintiffs – consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, tyre manufacturers Goodyear, Bridgestone Firestone, Cooper and Pirelli, plus the Tire Industry Association, argued that the final NHTSA regulations fell far short of those intended by Congress. However, after examining paperwork submitted by Public Citizen following a similar decision six months ago, the court on January 22 again decided that it can see no compelling evidence that the shortcomings of indirect systems – the additional time taken to signal a loss of pressure, and compatibility issues – would create an injury risk for consumers.

25th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNT’s Gamauf to Retire

The vice-president of Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT), John K. Gamauf, will retire from the company effective as of May 1, 2008. Gamauf, who also holds the office of president, Consumer Replacement Tire Sales, will be replaced by John Baratta, who currently serves as vice president, North American Consumer Tires Sales, BFNT. Baratta’s successor has yet to be named. Gamauf will continue to serve on BFNT’s board of directors.

Mark A. Emkes, chairman and CEO of BFNT and its parent company, Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. (BSAH) said: “I would like to thank John Gamauf on behalf of the entire Bridgestone Americas team for the great job he has done during his long, successful career with our company. Under his leadership, he and his team have developed the best consumer tyre dealer network in the country. Not only has he grown our consumer replacement tyre sales to record levels, he’s also done a tremendous job developing the individuals who make up his team. The result is the deepest and most talented bench in the industry. John’s truly ‘done it all’ when it comes to retail tyre sales.”

25th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Keeps Charity Rolling with Tyre Donation

Bridgestone has donated a consignment of tyres to Mercy Ships, the international charity operating hospital ships that provide health care in some of the world’s poorest countries. A selection of Bridgestone’s rugged 4×4 Dueller tyres have been supplied, and these will see use on vehicles that travel into remote areas of the bush, across difficult terrain and dirt tracks to reach sick people that otherwise could not be treated.

For Des Collins, vice president Public Relations, Bridgestone Europe, this donation makes sense in several ways: “Bridgestone has a sister company in Liberia, Firestone Natural Rubber Company, which employs more than 6,000 people in the production of natural rubber. As a part of its commitment to employees and their families in Liberia, Firestone operates its own schools and hospitals there, and consequently knows well the local need for health care. Therefore, Bridgestone was attracted to helping Mercy Ships in their efforts in West Africa and we are confident that the Dueller 4×4 tyres will help them in their great work.”

24th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Renews US Service Centre Deal

The North American truck drivers’ rest and service centre chain TravelCenters of America has extended its truck tyre supply agreement with Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire for a further seven years. At present more than 230 “TravelCenters of America” and “Petro: Lube” branded truck repair locations operate throughout the US and Canada. The tyremaker will continue to be the exclusive premium tyre supplier to all company owned outlets, as well as to the company’s fleet of 400 “RoadSquad” service vehicles, through to December 31, 2014.

18th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Long Term Dedication

Tired of tyres? Feel as if you can no longer spring out of bed in the morning and embrace the joys of automotive parts and accessories? A 76-year-old US woman puts you to shame….

An Indiana based media website, indystar.com, reports that Carolyn Jennings, a clerical employee at the Firestone Industrial Products plant in Noblesville, Indiana, has clocked up 55 years with the company. This makes her the longest serving Bridgestone-Firestone employee anywhere in the world. Joining the company as a secretary, Jennings has displayed a level of dedication to her job that her supervisor, Bob Kelleher, says he wishes he could “bottle”. Jennings did not miss work due to sickness once during her first 14 years with the company, and has been known to remain at her post even when other employees have gone home due to severe weather conditions.

17th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Designs Tire for Hummer HX Concept

Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, in cooperation with General Motors, has designed a Dueler concept tyre for the Hummer HX concept sport utility truck, introduced by GM at the 2008 North American International Auto Show.

The 35-inch tall tyres, engineered specifically for the HX, are mounted to the concept car’s 20-inch rims and feature a striking, deep-skid directional tread pattern with large, stiff lugs that provide excellent traction on a variety of driving surfaces. The tread lugs, stretching halfway down the sidewall, offer extra grip in deep sand, snow and mud and protect the tyre from punctures during off-road activities, such as rock crawling, BFNAT said.

15th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Expand US OTR Tyre Plant

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire intends to expand operations at its Bloomington OTR tyre facility, situated in the Illinois town of Normal. According to preliminary reports, curing capacity for large size loader tyres produced at the plant will be doubled, and new OTR sizes will also be introduced. The company says that at least US$12 million will be invested in the facility over a five-year period, with 50 new jobs created during the course of 2008.

9th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

World Champion Ploughman takes a Break

Following Simon Witty’s fourth World Reversible Ploughing title in a row, the Yorkshireman has announced that he is stepping down from future Reversible World Championships. But admirers of his work need not worry that they won’t see him representing his country again, for he plans to ‘enter the ring’ on the conventional side of ploughing. “Ploughing has given me a great deal of pleasure and I feel I’ve come as far as I can with reversible ploughing for now, so I want to try my hand at conventional ploughing for a new challenge” comments Witty.

3rd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Firestone Employee Contract Extension Approved

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) has announced that a substantial majority of workers at its Bloomington, Illinois OTR tyre facility have voted in favour of extending a contract covering work conditions through to 2012.

The agreement between BFNT and Local 787 of the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW) covers 300 employees at the plant, which makes large heavy-duty off road tyres for construction and mining applications. Under the agreement, workers at the facility will receive the same wage and benefit provisions contained in a separate “master” contract between the USW and the company as other BFNT locations and have agreed to a no-strike clause during the entire term of the extension.

13th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

US to Impose Duties on Chinese OTR Tyres

The US Department of Commerce has decided upon the implementation of countervailing duties on new OTR tyres imported from China, a move based upon assertions that the manufacturers of these products are financially benefiting from Chinese government subsidies. The Department found that OTR tyre manufacturers in China received subsidies including loans from government-owned banks, tax breaks, government grants, and access to low-cost rubber and land, with subsidy margins for Chinese tyremakers ranging from 2.38 to 6.59 per cent.

13th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone US Retail Division Phasing Out Lead Weights

At the start of 2008 Bridgestone’s retail arm in the US, BFS Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC (BFRC) will begin offering its customers steel wheel balance weights, replacing millions of lead wheel weights each year with more a ecologically sensitive counterpart.

Customers who visit Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus, ExpertTire or Wheel Works service centres will have the new steel wheel weights installed when they buy new tyres or have their existing tyres balanced. “We implemented this innovative plan because we believe that using steel wheel weights will have a positive environmental impact,” said BFRC environmental manager John Sheerin. “We are hopeful that others in the automotive repair industry will follow suit and join BFRC in promoting the use of steel wheel weights.”

7th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Firestone Liberia Extends Charity Assistance Scheme

Bridgestone’s subsidiary in the African nation of Liberia, Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC, has announced that its cargo donation program will be extended throughout 2008. The program, which began in 2006 with the aim of helping to rebuild the civil war ravaged West African country, provides space for relief goods and other donated cargo from aid organisations on ships operated by Firestone Liberia. To date more than 30 aid organisations have signed up to ship donated goods – including medicine, vitamins, food, generators and building materials.

7th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNAT Changes OTR/Agri Tyre Management

(Tire Review/Akron) The impending retirement of Ralph Burchfield, president of its off-road tyre group, has created a number of management changes at Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire. Burchfield has opted to retire at the end of this year, ending a 36-year career with the company. As a result, BFNAT is “streamlining” its OTR and agricultural tyre businesses, with three group vice presidents now reporting to BFNAT President Asahiko “Duke” Nishiyama.

Heading the agricultural tyre group will be vice president Kenneth Allen, formerly executive director of sales and marketing for Firestone Agricultural Tire Co. Leading the OTR group will be Shawn Rasey, formerly executive director of the OTR group. Heading up the tube group will be Scott Gateley, general manager.

5th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors