Feb 18 , 2016
Recognizing Bridgestone for its impressive global R&D investments and achievements in sustainable manufacturing, an independent jury of top tyre industry experts has voted Bridgestone “Tyre Manufacturer of the Year” in the 2016 Tyre Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence.
The announcement was made at a gala ceremony during Tyre Technology Expo in Hanover, Germany on 17th February, where Mr Eduardo Minardi, Executive Chairman and CEO of Bridgestone EMEA region received the award on behalf of Bridgestone Corporation.
“Everyone in Bridgestone is hugely proud to receive this recognition. R&D and innovation lie at the heart of all our activities, it is the only path that can lead us to a sustainable future” said Mr Minardi in his acceptance speech.
The judges applauded several Bridgestone achievements in R&D and sustainable manufacturing during 2015, including a $250 million investment in Tokyo, Japan for facilities to foster open innovation based on industry-government-academia partnerships.
Commenting on this R&D reorganization, Mr Graham Heeps, editor, Tyre Technology International magazine and chairman of the judging panel, stated at the ceremony:
“Many congratulations to Bridgestone. Part of that reorganization will include increased collaboration with external companies. Bridgestone, like other tyre makers, has recognized that future tyres will demand innovations from outside the traditional tyre industry, with materials and electronics as key areas of focus. It’s a welcome change in an industry sometimes characterized by a secretive, inward-looking approach.”
The judges cited three other Bridgestone achievements in 2015:
In addition to the projects cited above, judges were impressed by Bridgestone’s overall commitment to growth through R&D investment, as Mr Flavio Farroni, research fellow at University of Naples Federico II, Italy, demonstrated:
“The Bridgestone company, and in particular the Bridgestone Technical Center Europe, increased its know-how, staff and R&D budget during 2015. It’s a clear signal of a company strongly motivated to grow in the coming years, strengthening its reference position in the tyre development and production field.”
This is the 5th time that Bridgestone has won a Tyre Technology award since the programme was introduced in 2008. In the inaugural year Bridgestone also scooped the Tyre Manufacturer of the Year award, followed by Technology awards for its Contact Area Information Sensing technology (CAIS) in 2012 and Ologic reduced-rolling-resistance technology in 2013, and the Environmental Achievement of the Year award in 2013 for the new Americas Technical Center in the USA.
Bridgestone Europe (BSEU), with European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, is a key regional subsidiary of Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of tyres and other rubber products. Bridgestone Europe operates an R&D center, 8 plants and offices in more than 30 European countries, with over 13,000 employees. BSEU’s premium tyres are sold both within Europe and globally.
The Tyre Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence, founded in 2008, reward the smart thinking and hard work of the tyre design and manufacturing industry. The shortlist is compiled from nominations received from the readers of Tyre Technology International, and with the input of the magazine's editorial team. It is then sent to the independent panel of international tyre industry experts for them to cast their votes and determine the winners, with the presentations being made at Tyre Technology Expo in Hanover each February.
For more details, go to www.tiretechnology-expo.com
