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Lampe Named “Rubber Industry Executive Of The Year”

Rubber & Plastics News, a sister magazine of Tire Business, has named Bridgestone/Firestone Chairman and CEO John Lampe (53) as the “Rubber Industry Executive of the Year”. The award is in recognition of Lampe’s leadership in the company’s rebound from the Firestone tyre recall, which was at its height when Lampe assumed the top job. He was reluctant to accept the award at first, fearing that it would overshadow the part played by employees, dealers and customers. The company’s recovery is such that it expects to report a net income of $70 million for 2002, compared to a net loss of $1.67 billion in 2001.

18th December 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Debut For World’s Largest Mining Tyre

What is described as “the world’s largest front-end loader and mining tyre”, the Firestone 70/70-57, fitted on a LeTourneau L-2350 loader, has made its debut at a mine in Wyoming. The Firestone Super Rock Deep Tread tyre is almost 13 feet tall and weighs nearly 8 tons. It takes four people 17 hours to build the tyre and the curing time is 24 hours.

13th December 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Lowers Profit Forecast

Bridgestone Corporation has reduced its profits forecast for the year by 43 per cent; down to 40 billion Yen (322.3 million Euros) from 70 billion Yen. This is a result of the planned investment in the corporation’s European operations of 400 million Euros and a one-off charge of 300 million Euros to cover the write-down of equipment. Analysts believe that Bridgestone is now concentrating on reviving its European operations, having concentrated on the US over the past couple of years, due to the Firestone recall. In the USA, Bridgestone/Firestone is set to make a profit of $70 million this year, compared to last year’s losses of $1.67 billion.

5th December 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

New Business Plan For Bridgestone Europe

Bridgestone Firestone Europe is to increase its capital by 400 million euros before the year-end, which will be undertaken by Bridgestone Corporation (Japan). Bridgestone will use capital to rebuild its manufacturing resources and to reinforce its sales organisation and financial position. The production capacity for high performance tyres will be strengthened by strategic investment in passenger car tyre plants to facilitate quick changes to future products. This will include the expansion of the Poznan plant, which will increase its capacity up to 23,000 tyres per day from its current capacity of 10,000 tyres. In addition, Bridgestone will increase the truck and bus tyre output from its Bilbao plant from 3,500 to 4,600 units per day by the end of 2005.

4th December 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Ford And Firestone To Co-Sponsor Race Series

Following the rift between Ford and Firestone, caused by the tyre recall, the two companies are to co-sponsor the CART racing series. Banners at the event will read “Bridgestone presents the Champ Car World Series powered by Ford”. This move, which is still in the early stages, has created speculation that it could be the first step in a rapprochement between the two companies.

23rd November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone To Raise Prices In US

Bridgestone/Firestone North America is raising prices from 1st January because of increased raw material costs. The increases – up to 5 per cent – will apply to car and light truck tyres for the Bridgestone, Firestone and Dayton brands, as well as associate and private brands. Bridgestone, Firestone and Dayton heavy-duty and medium-duty truck tyres will rise by 3-4 per cent. The move follows similar increases in the US by Goodyear, Michelin and Cooper.

19th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Lisoni & Lisoni Request Re-Opening Of Firestone Investigation

Lisoni & Lisoni has filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) formally requesting that the agency reopen its investigation of the Firestone Steeltex tyre series, which it suspended.At the close of the investigation in April, 2002, the NHTSA said it would reopen its investigation if sufficient additional safety-related evidence became available. Lisoni & Lisoni announced it had provided the NHTSA with extensive documentation and evidence, which included remnants of the Steeltex tyres series R4S, R4SII and A/T which had suffered severe tread separation.Commenting on the source of the alleged defects, William Hagerty, a tyre analyst stressed: “We have reason to believe that Bridgestone ordered Firestone to “de-engineer” the tyres to cut production costs, thereby compromising the quality and safety of the Steeltex tyres. Ultimately, these less robust tyres were unable to withstand the demands of larger vehicles. We also have reason to believe that Firestone instructed store owners not to submit warranty claims and tyre failure complaints in exchange for purchasing discounts, bonuses and other incentives. This alleged directive allows Firestone to report artificially low failure rates on the Steeltex tyre series.”

18th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Is Running Ahead Of Competition In The USA

The year 2000 tyre recall, with all its consequences and financial difficulties, is more or less over. Sales in North America are strong, plus the performance of the Firestone brand has been stabilised, while the Bridgestone brand managed a growth of 30%, said John Lampe, CEO of Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding Inc. yesterday on TV. The fact that Lampe (who has turned out to be a charismatic leader by virtue of his tough battle with his biggest customer Ford, admired by all Bridgestone/Firestone employees in America) appeared on TV this week is another blow for the morale of Goodyear people. Last week they were told by CEO Gibara and his successor from the 1st of January next year, Keegan, that the Corporation has lost market share and has been unable to produce good results on its home market so far. This is forcing the company into the next round of restructuring and cost saving measures. According to Gibara the company is no longer able to pay the health costs at the same high rates as in the past, but has to reduce these costs immediately. This is a consequence, said Gibara, of fierce competition. Employees also fear that the company might lay off thousands more associates in order to reduce costs.

11th October 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Potenza for Subaru Baja

The Bridgestone Potenza RE92 has been selected as the OE tire for the new 2003 Subaru “Baja.” Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire Company is supplying the tyre in size P225/60R16 in an H-speed rating. While the H-speed rated all-season Bridgestone Potenza RE92 has been available for some time, raised white letters on the tire sidewall are a feature designed for Subaru.

1st October 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

LitWatch Spreads Cover On Tyre cases

LitWatch, the litigation news service, is expanding coverage of lawsuits filed in state and federal courts against tyre producers and auto manufacturers. This expanded coverage has been triggered by the demise of the multi-district federal class action, now on appeal to the US Supreme Court. Individual SUV rollover and tire failure cases are now proceeding simultaneously in many separate state and federal courts.”The federal courts have declined to handle this as one organized case, which means that it’s every plaintiff’s lawyer for himself. This will be the Oklahoma land rush of this decade, with hundreds of cases, seeking billions of dollars in damages, filed throughout the United States,” said John W. Toothman, Editor-in-Chief of LitWatch. Toothman notes that “Something unique about these cases is the conflict between the automotive and tire industries, which makes every case a potential land mine for both.”An example of this expanded coverage is the trial transcript from the recently-settled Hernandez case from LA County Superior Court, in California, the first case against both Firestone and Ford to go to trial against both. That case settled in the middle of trial for an undisclosed amount after key testimony was admitted from Jacques Nasser, former Ford CEO, and from another Ford official.This key information includes admissions that Ford was aware that 6.5 million Firestone tyres were defective and that using a replacement would have cost just 10 cents more per tire.

30th September 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

More USA Strife For Bridgestone

A Class Action lawsuit against Bridgestone/Firestone filed on the 12th August in California has been transferred to the Eastern District of the US District Court. Thus allowing Federal jurisdiction on the California originated case. The Class Action lawsuit alleges that Bridgestone/Firestone’s Steeltex R4S, R4SII and A/T tyre series contain a lamination defect which can, and has allegedly, caused the entire tread of the tyre to separate leading to the tyre’s destruction. Causes of action in the lawsuit charged the tyre manufacturer with Fraudulent Concealment, Deceptive Practices in Violation of the CLRA, Violations of the Unfair Practices Act, Negligence and Strict Liability.Commenting on the removal of the lawsuit to federal court, Lisoni, acting for the plaintiffs, stated: “This legal action was filed to protect and represent the interests of Americans throughout the country who have purchased one of the more than 27.5 million Steeltex tyres manufactured.”Lisoni emphasised he has received scores of reports from Steeltex tire owners nationwide of tyre defects and damages as well as accidents and injuries resulting from the defects. The purpose of this lawsuit is not about money, Lisoni stressed, adding: “First and foremost, it is to motivate Bridgestone/Firestone to take responsibility for their defective product and do what is best for the safety of its customers-immediately recall the entire Steeltex tyre series.”

24th September 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Tire Company Newest TRIB Member

Kumho Tire Company is the eleventh new tyre manufacturer to support the Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB). Other new tyre manufacturers who are currently TRIB members include Bridgestone/Firestone, Cooper, Dunlop, Goodyear, Hankook, Hercules, Kelly-Springfield, Michelin, Sumitomo and Yokohama. “We are very pleased that Kumho Tire Company has decided to support TRIB. They, along with our other new tyre manufacturer members, realise that TRIB’s efforts on behalf of retreading benefit the entire truck tyre industry,” said Harvey Brodsky, TRIB’s Managing Director. Brodsky said that TRIB is actively contacting all other new tyre manufacturers throughout the world with an invitation to join the Tire Retread Information Bureau.

16th September 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone US Executive Appointment

Bridgestone Firestone Americas Holding Inc. has appointed Mark Emkes (49) as chairman, president and chief executive of Bridgestone Firestone North America, effective from Monday. Mr. Emkes has been with the company for 26 years and most recently headed up Bridgestone Firestone’s business in Latin America. He succeeds Isao Togashi, who has returned to Japan as head of global manufacturing for the Bridgestone Corporation.

13th September 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Another Voluntary Recall For Firestone

Firestone is recalling 18,912 tyres produced at Wilson, North Carolina to ensure the recovery of some 890 potentially faulty units. The tyres in question are FR690 P195/65R15 with DOT No W2C6T00i402 and W2C6T001502 which may have been fitted to 2003 model year Toyota Corolla S and LE models. Firestone will be contacting the owners of the cars in the coming weeks an offering free replacement tyres. Firestone had identified and corrected a faulty piece of equipment at the plane, and had originally thought that the potentially faulty tyres had all been recovered. Subsequent information gave rise to an investigation which suggested a further 890 faulty tyres may have been released to the market. The fault creates pockets of trapped air which cause increased tyre noise and can result in “chunk out”.

13th September 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Recalls Wrongly-Marked Tyres

In the USA, Bridgestone/Firestone is voluntarily recalling 754 wrongly-marked Widetrack brand Baja A/T tyres, made over a three week period in 2001. The incorrect markings on the sidewall understated the maximum inflation load of the tyre.

12th September 2002/by Tyrepress Editors