Bridgestone

K. K. Bridgestone (Japanese株式会社 ブリヂストン, Kabushiki - gaisha Burijisuton, Eng. Bridgestone Corporation), listed on the Nikkei 225, is the world's largest tire manufacturer for cars, buses, trucks and special vehicles. It was founded in 1931 in Japan and employs 137,000 people worldwide. In terms of sales in the field of rubber processing, the Japanese company is the world leader.

History

Bridgestone was in the city of Kurume in Japan founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (石桥 正 二郎). The name Bridgestone arose from a literal translation and transposition of Ishibashi, what is to be translated into English as "stone bridge" ( stone bridge ).

After the Second World War Bridgestone began production of motorcycles and bicycles, his main income, the company achieved but with the sale of tires and other motorcycle manufacturers such as Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. In 1970 it was finally decided to discontinue production of motorcycles. 1981 Bridgestone achieved worldwide annual sales of 2.245 billion U.S. dollars, was for Michelin, Goodyear and Firestone 's fourth largest tire manufacturer with a global market share of 7.5 percent. In 1988 Bridgestone took over the U.S. tire manufacturer Firestone.

In Europe, Bridgestone employs more than 13,000 people in 20 sales subsidiaries and seven manufacturing plants. The works are in Béthune (France), Bari ( Italy), Stargard i.Pom. and Poznan ( Poland), Burgos, Bilbao and Puente San Miguel (Spain). In Zeebrugge, in Madrid and in the Czech boron European logistics centers have been built in Rome a private engineering and development center. Together with its subsidiary - the specialist tire retail chain First Stop Auto Service GmbH - has the Bridgestone Germany GmbH based in Bad Homburg. Overall, both companies employ approximately 750 employees in Germany.

Positioning in the market

Getting into the Formula 1 Sports in 1997 was successful. By using Bridgestone tires by the multiple world champion Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen, the number of Formula 1 teams that relied on Bridgestone advanced. Bridgestone supplied in the 2005 season Formula 1 teams Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi and also the Kart series AVD Pro 2000 Racing Kart Trophy with tires. In the 2006 season were Ferrari, MF1 Racing, Toyota Racing, supplies the Williams team and the newly formed Super Aguri F1 team.

After the departure of the French competitors Michelin end of 2006 from Formula 1 was Bridgestone the only tire supplier in Formula 1 reason was specified by the FIA ​​rule change, after the from the 2007 unit tires must be used by a manufacturer in order to save costs. After the 2010 season, Bridgestone pulled out of Formula 1. The company wants to concentrate more resources on the development of innovative technology and strategic products that serve the goals of the company, it said.

For the racing series Champ Car and Indy Racing League (IRL ), however, Bridgestone is the exclusive, in the GP2 series currently the sole supplier. Five teams in the MotoGP used up to and including 2008 Bridgestone tires, including Marlboro Ducati, Kawasaki Racing and Honda Gresini. Since 2009, Bridgestone is the sole supplier of the MotoGP World Championship.

The sales of Bridgestone in 2006 amounted to 19 billion euros, an increase of eleven percent compared to the previous year. Because of price fixing and market sharing for marine hoses (Competition ) from 1986 to 2007 with four other manufacturers Bridgestone has to pay 58.5 million euros fine to the EU coffers.

Products

The production and the supply of car tires is the main business of Bridgestone, as an original equipment manufacturer for new or replacement business with the tire dealers. Also of great importance are the production and sale of tires for motorcycles, trucks and earthmoving equipment.

In addition, the Bridgestone Corporation, among others, a manufacturer of products for the marine industry, from golf and tennis articles and bicycles.

Environment

In September 2007, Bridgestone Europe published an environmental report presenting the company's commitment to high environmental standards and the steps taken to achieve these standards. The extent to which the Bridgestone products and the manufacturing processes affect the environment, it is explained in the form of a life cycle assessment - and to the points extraction of raw materials, production, recycling and disposal. For the consumer, the report provides the opportunity to learn about environmentally friendly behavior through appropriate care and maintenance of the products.

Criticism

2007, the company received the " Public Eye Global Award " - a negative rating to the company at the World Economic Forum, WEF remember their social and environmental responsibilities. The awards justify the organizers with the slavery -like conditions on the rubber plantations of the tire manufacturer in West Africa Liberia, where child labor and pollution on the agenda were.

Commitment / projects

To counteract the sedentary lifestyle of children, launched by the German Road Safety Action "move it", the Bridgestone supports together with the team tire dealers. So yellow boxes with balls, frisbees, juggling and swinging towels are distributed to kindergartens. The children can then train their reflexes and their balance easily.

As the main sponsor Bridgestone committed to the safety initiative " Think first - then steer " issued by the Automobile Club of Germany ( AVD ) is organized in Germany and part of the global FIA initiative " Think before you drive" is. It was first presented in 2005 by Michael Schumacher at the Grand Prix of Germany at Hockenheim. It was in the form of comics with a " crash test dummy " consciously made ​​as an expert on the Internet and in an information brochure risk factors that can lead to an accident and shows how you can avoid them.

In the years 2007/2008 and 2009/2010 Bridgestone took the brand award " Superbrand Germany". Criteria for selection are the brand dominance and acceptance, loyalty, longevity of the brand and the brand value of the company.

Museum of Art

Since 1952 located in the Tokyo headquarters of the company that donated by the company's founder, Bridgestone Museum of Art with Western and Japanese art of the 19th and 20th centuries.