By Carl Martins, Executive Manager: Mining Services, Bridgestone Southern Africa

“Between a rock and a hard place” is as good a summation of mining as any. The industry is defined by its tough operating conditions typically in remote areas, a truly testing environment for both people and machines, as well as the supply chains that support them.

However, the light at the end of the tunnel is the growing ability to use data to improve safety and productivity, and generally make the operation more sustainable. In particular, the smart use of data can improve productivity and performance by transforming how the mine procures and manages its tyres, the unsung heroes that permit the heaviest of equipment to carry huge loads across testing terrain, day after day.

Tyre manufacturers like Bridgestone splash out on R&D to improve tyre design and manufacture, but we have come to believe that this is just not enough. It’s only by managing the entire tyre life cycle that mines can realise the full benefits from their tyres: specialist expertise backed up by data is essential.

Here’s how an ideal solutions-based approach would work:

Choose the right tyres. Each mine is unique. What is the type of rock the vehicles will be operating on? Will the tyres be used on long hauls and so need to be designed for heat resistance, or is cut resistance the primary consideration?

A solution-oriented tyre supplier is able to provide a site-severity survey to help scope the types of tyres needed for various applications on the specific mine.

Collect data continuously. Regularly collected data is vital in providing insights into tyre condition. Each tyre needs to be assessed to determine any damage and what remediation is required.

Tyre pressure, tread, tyre heat are all vital in order to ensure the tyre is operating optimally. GPS data can also be used to build up a picture of what kind of conditions the vehicles (and thus their tyres) operate; for example, cycle speeds and lateral and vertical acceleration are recorded and assessed in the light of the impact on the tyres.

In short, the more data it has, the better the company can understand the life cycle of its tyres and plan accordingly. It can also better understand the relationship between better tyre management, mine production, and reduced downtime. Increased productivity in the range of 7%-10% can be achieved.

Establish field services. The basic data from regular tyre surveys needs to be acted on, something that can be a challenge at a remote site. The mine needs the capability to undertake repairs to tyres and also to change them—no easy task given their size and weight.

Improve forecasting and planning to ensure timeous supply. A COVID-19 hangover and the Ukraine War have definitely disrupted supply chains but, these considerations aside, specialized mining tyres have an exceptionally long lead time from factory floor to fitment; four to five months is average as production takes a month, shipping 6-8 weeks and then there is the challenge of in-country logistics.

However, it needs to be recognized that the supply chain is vulnerable on multiple fronts, including container shortages, shipment delays and strikes, as well as normal production issues and shortages of raw materials. All of these factors make planning a complex business.

In conclusion, given all of these factors, it is clear that a solutions-based approach will have significant benefits. Not only will the mine have the right tyres for its specific conditions, it will become better able to make evidence-based decisions about how to maximise the performance of its tyres and so improve its bottom line. In turn, all of that information can be put to use to make certain that the mine never runs out of the tyres it requires to keep its operations running smoothly.

The choice is clear. Mines can either treat tyres as a simple question of procurement and then develop their own capabilities in managing their life cycles, or they can build long-term, solutions-focused relationships with their tyre suppliers. Of course, the former is theoretically possible, but it would undoubtedly be a significant distraction from core business. Building a relationship with a reputable supplier makes much more sense, and the long-term benefits will be much greater.

END

Media information: Keitumetse Magopa, Public Relations Specialist.

Issued by The Riverbed Agency on behalf of Bridgestone Southern Africa: Lungile Manganyi, Senior Accounts Executive, E: lungile@theriverbed.co.za C: +27 78 595 2467, T: +27 86 099 4164

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa:

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. 

Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play.

For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

By Willie Stander, Agriculture Manager at Bridgestone Southern Africa

JOHANNESBURG – 31 January 2023 - In agriculture, the 80:20 rule holds good: of the approximately 32 000 commercial farmers in the country, between 5 000 and 7 000 farmers are responsible for 80% of agricultural output.[1]

Two conclusions flow from this observation. One is that South Africa’s most productive farmers are under tremendous pressure to increase their productivity still further—given that our population is set to rise to 70 million by 2035, food demand will increase. To make this happen, farmers will need to work smarter to improve productivity and profitability.

South Africa’s farmers have always had to contend with a long list of challenges, from uncertain weather and demanding terrain to contemporary challenges that include escalating input costs and increasingly uncertain delivery times.

Still, the adage ‘n Boer maak ‘n plan (a farmer makes a plan) remains true, and a savvy use of technology has become modern-day South African farmers’ go-to strategy for solving many of the issues they face. Anyone who is in the sector will know that our top farmers are eager to get their hands on new technologies that will help them to farm smarter, make their land more productive and increase their profits.

The last point is crucial because profits are what makes a business sustainable, and able to weather the inevitable hard times.

Farmers’ increased use of smart technologies is revolutionising the sector, from precise application, soil specific farming to drone spraying and everything in between. Traditional farming equipment has also been the beneficiary of significant development. Twenty-first Century farm machinery is more and more capable of delivering the kind of precision that farmers require, able to adjust to a farm’s unique conditions and to meet its profitability and productivity goals.

As an important component of these increasingly sophisticated machines, specialised agricultural tyres have also been the subject of intense R&D. For example, the latest generation of Bridgestone agricultural tyres can reduce soil compaction significantly, provide greater traction in order to improve in-field productivity, and also decrease operating costs by carrying 40% heavier loads on the road and in-field in certain applications.

But as each equipment component becomes smarter and can do more, a new challenge arises: farmers need expert assistance in getting the most out of these products. Their service providers thus need to look beyond developing new products, important though that is—they also need to develop the capability to partner with farmers by helping them to get the most out of their investment in the technology or product.

This more intense way of farming raises some significant challenges for all farming input suppliers, including Bridgestone and their channel partners or dealers—in effect, it requires us to become much more skilled in understanding the particular conditions on a farm, and then providing valuable advice on how to use the product optimally to achieve the farmer’s particular goals. To get this right requires a significant investment of time and energy in training one’s own employees as well as the employees of one’s business partners.

This is not something that can happen in short time, but service providers in an increasingly smart agricultural sector need to put plans in place to reskill themselves and their partners to deliver new levels of service. Only those service providers who reposition themselves as true partners will last the course.

END

Media information: Keitumetse Magopa, Public Relations Specialist. 

Issued by The Riverbed Agency on behalf of Bridgestone Southern Africa: Lungile Manganyi, Senior Accounts Executive, E: lungile@theriverbed.co.za C: +27 78 595 2467, T: +27 86 099 4164 

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa: 

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. 

Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play. 

For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. 

• The new Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 tyre is specifically designed to provide Huracán Sterrato drivers with maximum driving pleasure, versatility, and adaptability for any conditions and surfaces, both on-road and off-road. 
• The custom-engineered Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 is the world’s first-ever supercar all-terrain tyre featuring Run-Flat Technology to keep drivers going safely even after a puncture. 
• Following Bridgestone’s collaboration with Lamborghini on the Huracán STO, EVO and Tecnica models, the company has been selected as the exclusive tyre partner of the first Lamborghini Huracán all-terrain variant, the Sterrato. 
   

JOHANNESBURG, 19 January 2022 – Bridgestone has been chosen as the sole and exclusive tyre partner for the new Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, providing All-Terrain and Winter fitments for the world’s first all-terrain super sports car equipped with a V10 engine and all-wheel drive powertrain.

Specifically designed for the unique engineering requirements of the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, the new Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 tyre offers drivers maximum on-road and off-road performances. The tyre’s bespoke polymers, patterns, and tyre technologies have been developed to enhance the all-terrain capabilities of the Huracán Sterrato and maximize the thrill and fun of driving on and off the asphalt behind the wheel of this supercar.

The custom-developed Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 tyres are an exclusive fit for the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, and just like the all-terrain supercar, Bridgestone’s new HRD supercar all-terrain tyre delivers several unique features. The Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 is the world’s first-ever supercar all-terrain tyre to feature Run-Flat Technology (RFT), supporting drivers to continue driving safely even after a puncture – for 80km at 80kph with 0-bar pressure. This offers drivers unique peace of mind when out on roads of all types enjoying this all-terrain supercar.

Delivering incredible performance whatever the terrain

The bespoke Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 is designed to provide versatile top performances wherever the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato goes, irrespective of terrain. This way, the innovative tyre delivers enjoyment through fun and easy driving in all conditions, matching the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato’s DNA.

Developed and manufactured in Europe, the Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 includes a new tyre compound designed to optimise grip, with a specific shoulder integrated for additional grip in deep gravel and mud. Meanwhile, the tread pattern on the Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 has also been optimised for the best possible handling and high-speed performance without compromise to off-road grip.

Steven De Bock, Vice President Consumer Replacement and OE at Bridgestone EMIA, commented: “With the Dueler All-Terrain AT002, Bridgestone has created a bespoke tyre that perfectly complements the high-speed all-terrain concept of the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato. We’ve created a tyre that is just as capable at high speeds on asphalt as it is when driving off-road, providing high-speed stability and off-road capability, rising to meet a completely different set of challenges on mud, gravel, and demanding terrains.” 

These custom-designed Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 tyres are available in two dimensions: 235/40 ZR19 (96Y) XL RFT for the front wheels, and 285/40 ZR19 (107Y) XL RFT for the rear. The Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 will also be available as an aftersales winter option for the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, available in 235/40 R19 96Y XL and 285/40 R19 107Y XL sizes.

Bridgestone’s partnership with Lamborghini is part of the company’s vision to provide customer and social value as a sustainable solutions company. At the heart of this is the Bridgestone E8 Commitment – the broad, global corporate commitment that clearly defines the value the company is promising to deliver to society, customers, and future generations in eight focus areas.

Media information: Keitumetse Magopa, Public Relations Specialist. 

Issued by The Riverbed Agency on behalf of Bridgestone Southern Africa: Lungile Manganyi, Senior Accounts Executive, E: lungile@theriverbed.co.za C: +27 78 595 2467, T: +27 86 099 4164 

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa: 

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. 

Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play. 
 

For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

JOHANNESBURG,13 December 2022 – Bridgestone Southern Africa Mining services and OTRACO Southern Africa will join forces to accelerate Mining tyre management and mobility solutions in Southern Africa, under one banner.

Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) recently announced that its group company Bridgestone Southern Africa Holdings (BSAFH) has entered into an agreement to acquire OTRACO Southern Africa, a leader in Off-The-Road (OTR) tyre management solutions.  This acquisition will accelerate the growth of Bridgestone SA’s mining solutions business and expand the company’s service network.  The acquisition was completed in December 2022 and André Bode will continue as Managing Director of OTRACO, reporting to Jacques Fourie (Vice President of Bridgestone Middle East & Africa). “I am honoured and enthusiastic for the opportunity to lead this exciting business. We have excellent people who are passionate about what we do. As a team we look forward unlocking new growth opportunities, improve the way we serve our customers by nurturing relationships built on value and trust,” says André Bode.

As part of Bridgestone's initiative to improve mobility solutions and tyre-centric services across all market segments, the company identified a need in the mining market for specific mining services and enhancements. “The acquisition of OTRACO, with their strength in tyre management systems, is an exciting milestone in our history and presents a new opportunity to extend our mobility solution offerings to the market.  Together Bridgestone and OTRACO have market-leading Mining tyre management and mobility solutions,” says Jacques Fourie, CEO of Bridgestone Southern Africa. 

Going forward, Bridgestone SA will go to market under the OTRACO banner. “Bridgestone and OTRACO are proud to join forces, under the OTRACO banner, to offer industry-leading mobility solutions and mining tyre management services to our valued customers,” says Carl Martins Bridgestone’s Mining Services Executive Manager.

END

Media information:

Issued by The Riverbed Agency on behalf of Bridgestone Southern Africa: Lungile Manganyi, Senior Accounts Executive, E: lungile@theriverbed.co.za C: +27 78 595 2467, T: +27 86 099 4164

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa:

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. 

Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play.

For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

RTMC figures for 2021 show that vehicle factors account for around 7% of road accidents, with tyres being the major contributor. Burst tyres account for around 37% of accidents caused by vehicle factors, and smooth tyres for a further 5%.^[1] Safer Vehicles is one of the pillars of the National Road Safety Strategy.

SATMC members have been partnering with the RMTC over the past two years to offer the training, and the partnership will continue in 2023. It’s heartening to note that when the National Road Safety Strategy 2016-2030 was published, vehicle factors accounted for 14.1% of all accidents, with burst tyres at 74.3% and smooth tyres at 5.7% the major causes of those accidents. The decline of these figures in 2021, as noted above, is an indication of how effective interventions like this one have been.

The training included one day of classroom-based teaching, which aimed to give officers insight into how tyres are manufactured and how to assess their roadworthiness, along with the legal regulations relating to tyres contained in Section 212 of the National Road Traffic Act. The second day focused on practical application of what had been learned at a roadblock set up by the relevant traffic department. The instructor helped the officers inspect stopped vehicles and guided them through thorough tyre assessments. Motorists were also given handouts providing useful information to help them perform self-assessments of their tyres.

“As a good corporate citizen, Bridgestone is committed to improving road safety by giving both traffic officers and motorists the expert information they need to improve tyre safety and thus reduce the high number of fatalities on our roads—especially as we head into the holiday season,” says Dries Venter, Technical Manager, Bridgestone Southern Africa, who conducted the training.

“The SATMC is very appreciative of the willingness of our members, like Bridgestone in this case, to join us in this partnership with the RMTC. We are making real headway in upskilling traffic officers in this important aspect of road safety. As important, we are also building awareness among the motoring public of how important tyre safety is and how to monitor the condition of their tyres to prevent accidents,” says Nduduzo Chala, Managing Executive, SATMC. “We look forward to continuing the good work next year with the help of Bridgestone and our other members.”

Ends

 [1] RTMC, “State of Road Safety Report. Quarterly Report: October-December 2021”

Media information: Keitumetse Magopa, Public Relations Specialist

Issued by The Riverbed Agency on behalf of Bridgestone Southern Africa: Lungile Manganyi, Senior Accounts Executive, E: lungile@theriverbed.co.za C: +27 78 595 2467, T: +27 86 099 4164

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa:

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. 

Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play.

For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

This week it was announced that Jacques Fourie, currently CEO of Bridgestone Southern Africa, will take up the position of Vice President and Managing Director of the Middle East & Africa region. This position will oversee both the Bridgestone Southern Africa business, as well as the legacy Middle East & Africa business headquartered out of Dubai, thereby combining the two regions under the South African leader.

Since his joining Bridgestone in 2019, Fourie has been instrumental in turning around the business in Southern Africa, delivering on a culture change transformation that led to restored profitability, market share growth, certification as a Top Employer, a BBB-EE level 1 contributor, and the acquisition of the mining solutions company Otraco into Bridgestone EMIA.

Commenting on the recent announcements Jacques Fourie said “I am deeply grateful and very humbled by this new opportunity to take on broader responsibility in Bridgestone and to add value to our great organisation. Three years ago, we embarked on a business transformation journey for the Southern African business.  With the commitment and dedication of my exceptional leadership team, the hard work of all employees and the unwavering support of our valued customers, channel partners and franchisees, we have together achieved incredible results.”

Whilst Fourie will remain responsible for the Bridgestone Southern Africa Holdings Group, he will hand over responsibility for Bridgestone Southern Africa’s three business units to respective Managing Directors.  Today, leadership changes in the  core Tyre & Rubber (Wholesale) business are being announced. 

From January 2023, Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) is proud to appoint Jacques Rikhotso, current Operations Director, as Managing Director of the South Africa Wholesale Business. BSAF’s Wholesale Business is the seat of its local Manufacturing, Operations and Sales organisations. 

“As a proud local manufacturer we look to the future with hope and I am thrilled to hand the reigns over for our Wholesale business to Jacques Rikhotso whose dedication to our Bridgestone family and his passion for delivering with excellence I know will take the business on to even greater heights.  I look forward to continuing to support him, and the South Africa team, from my new position”, says Fourie.

Jacques Rikhotso joined Bridgestone in 2018 as Manufacturing Director responsible for the Bridgestone Plant facilities across South Africa and has risen through the organisation to Operations Director responsible for Bridgestone Southern Africa’s Manufacturing and Re-Tread Plants, Logistics and Supply Chain Management,  and the company’s Sustainability agenda.  In this broader role Rikhotso has delivered  significant capital expansions in Brits Plant to improve quality and performance and output; implemented operational efficiencies in forecasting, planning and logistics through digital tools; and a key player in transitioning Bridgestone from legacy Maxipres re-tread brands to Bridgestone Premium brand Bandag (Bridgestone’s Global Re-tread company); and, improved customer centricity and service to our customers.

“I joined Bridgestone at a time of organisational transformation followed shortly by the pandemic period which necessitated that we were more dynamic in every aspect of our business operations.  As I take up this new role, I don’t expect this to change – we will still need to be an organisation that continuously improves, continuously transforms, continuously invests in our people, is dynamic and agile as we continue to build a more sustainable business that provides leading sustainable mobility solutions to our customers. In my position as Operations Director, engaging with customers and our sales team in the field, I have gained great insight into what our customers require from Bridgestone and how we might serve them better.  The Sales organisation has done very well over this period to reconfigure the mix of our offering, to open our sales to the broader network of retailers and to turnaround our business to deliver profitable growth.  It gives me a lot of confidence to join them and to lead the Bridgestone Wholesale business into an exciting future,” says Rikhotso.

END

 Media information:

Issued by The Riverbed Agency on behalf of Bridgestone Southern Africa: Lungile Manganyi, Senior Accounts Executive, E: bridgestone@theriverbed.co.za C: +27 78 595 2467, T: +27 86 099 4164

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa:

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. 

Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play.

For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

“We began importing these tyres from Europe two years ago. After trials, we identified and made design improvements that would make the tyres better suited for South African road conditions. Our European R&D labs supported with creating a compound that provides higher resistance to cuts and chips,” he says.

Venter says that the Firestone FD833 and FS833 tyres have several advantages over cheaper second and third-tier competitors. The tougher material means that the tyres last longer, even on our bad roads, which means that they need to be replaced less frequently. Their tread design also provides excellent traction and are self-cleaning for consistent performance.

Another major plus is that the sturdy construction means that the tyre can be retreaded at least twice—in fact, the Firestone FD833 and FS833 tyres come with a casing confidence pledge guaranteeing this.

“Local manufacturing is a big plus because it helps protect local jobs and contributes to increasing the country’s gross domestic product—especially as these tyres are also exported to other markets in the region,” says Venter. “From a sustainability point of view, the longer life of the tyre plus its retreadibility are major pluses because they reduce the amount of waste going into landfill. At the same time, Bridgestone is pursuing a strategy making its tyres more recyclable - and fuel efficient. The lighter tyres also contribute to reducing the impact on the environment.”

END

Media information:

Issued by The Riverbed Agency on behalf of Bridgestone Southern Africa: Lungile Manganyi, Senior Accounts Executive, E: lungile@theriverbed.co.za C: +27 78 595 2467, T: +27 86 099 4164

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa:

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. 

Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play.

For more information about Bridgestone in EMIA, please visit www.bridgestone-emia.com and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

·         Through a wide range of motorsport activities, Bridgestone will continue to  advance and refine its technologies.

Johannesburg, 07 April 2022 — Bridgestone Corporation today announced its 2022 motorsport plan. In 2022, Bridgestone will continue to support various domestic and overseas motorsports, ranging from top-level professional series to grassroots amateur races, primarily by supplying Bridgestone            POTENZA tyres and Firestone FIREHAWK tyres for car races and Bridgestone BATTLAX tyres for motorcycle races. In its quest to keep providing "Driving Excitement" in 10 years, 20 years, and  beyond, Bridgestone will continue to contribute to the development of safe, with peace of mind, and fun car, motorcycle, and motorsport cultures.

In South Africa, Bridgestone supplies tyres for the DOE Formula Vee Championship single seater car racing and the Sunbet Kawasaki ZX-10R Masters Cup motorcycle racing. Overseas, it is the SUPER GT car races and All Japan Road Race Championship motorcycle races in Japan. Bridgestone’s Firestone brand is the exclusive tyre supplier for the NTT INDYCAR® SERIES*1 in North America.

Other overseas races supplied with Bridgestone tyres include the Endurance World Championship (EWC), the world’s foremost series of endurance motorcycle races organised by Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).

Bridgestone also supports grassroots motorsports, including the All-Japan Gymkhana Championship and Mazda’s grassroots motorsport races. Bridgestone also sponsors the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge,*2 a world-leading solar car race held in Australia, to support the ambition of aspiring future engineers and help drive the evolution of mobility technologies. 

Bridgestone will continue to   advance and refine its technologies through top-level races around the globe that require maximum tyre performance.

*1    Bridgestone has an agreement to act as the exclusive tyre supplier for the NTT INDYCAR® SERIES until 2025.

https://www.bridgestoneamericas.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2019/firestone-extends-

exclusive-tire-supplier-partnership-with-ntt-i

*2    Bridgestone has an agreement to act as the naming rights sponsor of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge until 2030. The next iteration of this event is scheduled to be held in 2023. https://www.bridgestone.com/corporate/news/2019102101.html

The official website of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge can be found below. https://www.worldsolarchallenge.org/

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