An introduction to Bridgestone Europe - MotorShow

An introduction to Bridgestone Europe

Bridgestone's Corporate Motto
Shojiro Ishibashi (1889-1976)
Founder of Bridgestone Corporation
"Serving Society
with Superior Quality "
Shojiro even christened his
fledging venture with an English
variation of his name
(the surname Ishibashi translates
as "stone bridge").
From the very start, he was getting
ready for something international.

Our History
1931
1953
1962
1964
1976
1986
1988
1990
1995
Shojiro Ishibashi makes his first tyre in Kurume on Kyushu, Japan. “Stone
Bridge” becomes “Bridgestone”.
Sales top 10 billion Yen. Bridgestone becomes Japan’s biggest tyre
manufacturer.
Japan’s first steel radial tyres for trucks and buses.
Japan’s first steel radial tyres for passenger cars.
Founder Ishibashi dies.
Porsche adopts Bridgestone’s RE71 ultra-high performance tyres as
factory equipment on its limited-edition 959 sports car, the world’s fastest
production car at that time.
Bridgestone acquires Firestone, the second largest tyre manufacturer in
the USA, for $ 2.6 billion.
Bridgestone sets up Bridgestone/Firestone Europe S.A. to manage its
European operations.
According to “European Rubber Journal”,Bridgestone is ranked nr.1
worldwide.

Our History
1997
1998
2000
2000
2000
2001
2002
2002
2002
Bridgestone enters Formula One racing, and achieves promising results
in first full F1 season.
Bridgestone scores first Formula One victory with McLaren/Mercedes
in Australian GP and wins both drivers’ and constructors’ title with same
team.
BFE opens 6th European tyre plant at Poznan, Poland.
Firestone 100th anniversary.
European Rubber Journal ranks Bridgestone Corporation number 1 in
global tyre sales with 13.5 bn US $.
Top car manufacturers, such as BMW and Lexus, regard Bridgestone as
the leading company in Runflat Tyre technology.
Bridgestone and Continental announce a technical cooperation on joint
Runflat Tyre development.
Bridgestone introduces new Aircept Safety System for trucks and buses,
supporting vehicle load in case of air pressure loss.
Bridgestone Europe launched a major investment program of €400 mio.
aimed at upgrading production resources and expanding sales in the
region.

Our History
2003
2004
Bridgestone Europe purchases two million shares in the Finnish tyre
company Nokian Tyres PLC and holds 18.9% of all shares.
Beginning of 2003, Bridgestone companies in Japan, the Americas and
Europe unified their corporate identity under the Bridgestone name.
Famous car manufacturers such as BMW (5 series, 6 series, option on 7
series), Ferrari (Scaglietti 612-Maserati), chose to equip their vehicles
with Bridgestone’s sidewall RFT.
2003 is also the confirmation of the excellent collaboration between
Ferrari and BS in Formula one: M. Schumacher becomes World
Champion for the 6 th time and similarly offers Ferrari’s a 6 th Constructor’s
Championships Title!
Bridgestone begins supplying tyres to the Suzuki and Kawasaki Grand
Prix Teams for MotoGP racing for the 2004 season. Success is confirmed
with the podium for Tamada in Rio, Brazil.
In January, 2004 BSEU takes full control of the facilities, staff and
logistics. The name of the facility is consequently changed to Bridgestone
Logistics Europe (BSLE).

Our History
2004
2005
Bridgestone confirms its position of leader in the Run Flat
Technology with the shipment of its 1 million tyre in Feb. 04.
Bridgestone becomes a key supplier of tyres for Daimler Chrysler’s range
of medium and heavy (over 6 tonnes) trucks.
The company purchases 100% of the shares of Mecamold SA, a producer
of moulds for the tyre industry.
June sees the official opening of Bridgestone’s European Proving Ground
(EUPG) in Rome.
Bridgestone wins 7th World Championship’s title of the constructors in
collaboration with Ferrari
Bridgestone launched the “Think Before You Drive” safety campaign in
collaboration with the FIA Foundation.
The company continues its expansion on a world scale: opening and
building various plants on different continents as well as a technical center
in China and the industry-leading European education center in Rome.
Bridgestone shipment of Runflat tyres top three million.
1st Dreams at HeArt contest where children draw their ideal transportation
mean for the future is a success with over 14.000 entries.

Our History
2006
2007
Bridgestone received suppliers award from Peugeot, General Motors and
Ferrari
Announcement of the building of a new Truck and Bus Plant in Stargard,
Poland
Building works start at the new tyre plant in Tatabanya, Hungary.
Bridgestone Corporation achieves again 1st position in the global ranking
of tyre and rubber manufacturers for 2005
First Stop tyre network opens 1500 th store in Europe
European Logistics Centre at Zeebrugge, Belgian, officially opens the final
warehouse extension
The U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation agrees to acquire Bandag
Inc. – the tyre retreading specialist – , in Cash Merger
Bridgestone becomes first company to attain FIA World Prize for Road
Safety, the Environment and Mobility
Bridgestone is ranked nr. 1 foreign investor by Forbes Poland
Bridgestone President Shoshi Arakawa honoured with Commander’s
Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland

Global Organisation
Japan Tyre SBU Americas SBU Europe SBU
China Tyre SBU
Asia & Oceania Tyre
SBU
Middle East & Africa Tyre
SBU
Bridgestone Corporation
= 8 SBU's
(Strategic Business Units)
Specialty Tyre SBU
Diversified
products SBU

Activities and products
Tyres
(81 % of our total activity in 2007, growing)
Passenger cars and
recreational vehicles
Trucks and buses, heavy and light
Commercial vans
Agriculture
Off-the-road vehicles
Motorcycles and scooters
Aircraft
Subways and monorails
Racing, go-karts, motorcycles and scooters

Activities and products
Non-tyre
Automotive parts, such as wheels, noise
absorbers, cushions, ...
Industrial rubber products, such as belts,
hoses, marine products, rubber dams, dock
fenders, roofing and insulation materials, ...
Chemical products, such as building products,
foams, ...
Sporting goods, such as bicycles, golf balls and
gear, tennis balls, surf boards, boats, ...
Others

Bridgestone Key Facts
Bridgestone Corporation Head office
10-1, Kyobashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku,
Tokyo 104 - 8340, Japan
Established in Founder :
March 1, 1931 - Shojiro Ishibashi
2007
Employees, headquarters 13,778
Employees, worldwide 133 752
Paid-in capital 126,354 million Yen
Consolidated subsidiaries 441 companies
Chairman of the Board, CEO
and President :
Shoshi ARAKAWA
Financial results
Net earnings
29.700 million US $
1.153 millions US $

29,000
26,000
23,000
20,000
17,000
14,000
11,000
8,000
5,000
Global Rubber Industry
Consolidated Net Sales (Millions of U.S. dollars)
10,123
7,808
9,296
5,672
10,810
12,394
8,702
13,860
15,608
12,623
12,288
11,924
11,521
11,453
12,120
17,999
13,113
17,107
12,648
18,343
12,881
18,591
15,138
14,364 13,884 14,147
13,798
16,171
14,417
13,940
18,747
15,600
13,900
21,500
17,399
15,122
23,191
21,322
18,370
19,723
19,402
22,800
25,113
20,605
20,300
1987 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07
29,700
24,630
19,600
Bridgestone
Goodyear
Michelin
Source: Companies
annual report 2007

Bridgestone Group Global Tyre Market Share 2007
Cooper Tire 2,3%
Kuhmo Tire 2,04%
Hankook Tyre 2,72%
Yokohama Tire 2,89%
Others 27,56%
Sumitomo Rubber
3,19% Pirelli 4,5%
Global Tyre Market Shares 2007
Continental 5.9%
Source: Tire Business, September 1, 2008
Bridgestone 16.9%
Goodyear 14.9%
Michelin 17.1%

Bridgestone Group Net Sales by Region
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
31.80%
30.00%
24.04%
42.70%
44.30%
44.56%
13.40%
13.84%
15.22%
2005 2006 2007
Japan Americas Europe Other
11.80%
11.90%
16.18%

Bridgestone Corp. Financial Highlights
Net Sales
Of which Europe
Operating Profit
Of which Europe
Net Earn. after Tax
Shareholders Equity
Capital Investment
2007
3 390 218
516 008
249 961
17 208
131 600
1 228 251
268 629
Source: Bridgestone Corporate Annual Report 2006
2006
Millions of Yens
2 991 275
413 952
190 876
14 876
85 121
1 179 155
250 223
2005
2 691 376
366 951
213 851
19 624
180 796
1 128 597
194 494
2007
29 700
4 500
2189
151
1153
-
-
2006
Millions of US$
25 113
3475
1602
124
714
9 900
2100
2005
22 794
3 107
1 811
166
1 531
9 558
1 664

Tyre Market Sales - Evolution 1987 – 2007
24,000
22,000
21,750
21,500
20,000
18,333
17,920
18,000
16,150
14,800
18,900
16,000
14,000
12,740
12,240
12,920
12,718
13,500
13,425
12,950
13,600
17,500
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
7,100
7,000
4,000
1,800
2,200
1,900
10,095
8,200
8,188
3,625
2,900 2,630
10,235
10,050
9,658
3,935
3,223 2,748
10,105
4,938
2,987
3,975
11,850
4,355
3,020 3,800
13,500
11,516
4,900
3,414
2,725
12,470
4,900
2,530
2,598
5,600
3,255
2,922
6,350
4,513
3,616
7,500
5,693
4,061
87 90 93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07
Bridgestone Michelin Goodyear Continental Pirelli Sumitomo
Millions of US dollars - Source: Tire Business, September 1, 2008

European Organisation
Bridgestone Europe NV/SA
Headquarters : Brussels
Bridgestone Europe established as coordination
office in 1972; became HQ in 1990.
Facilities in Europe include:
20 fully owned Sales Subsidiaries
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, UK, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands,
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia and Baltic Countries
2 Exclusive Distributors
Greece and Norway
Sales company / Distributors
Plant
Technical Center
7 Factories
3 in Spain,
1 in France, in Italy, in Poland,
in Hungary
Under construction:
1 in Poland
1 Technical centre with Proving Ground
1 European Proving Ground
Rome

Bridgestone Europe Corporate Data
Bridgestone Europe NV/SA Head office
Kleine Kloosterstraat 10, 1932 Sint
Stevens, Woluwe (Zaventem), Belgium
Established in: July 1, 1990
Chairman, Chief Executive
Officer and President :
Toru TSUDA
Employees in Europe
Subsidiaries
Annual Sales 2007
Factories in Europe
Technical Center
European Proving Ground
12,000
20 sales companies
3,07 billion €
7 + 1 under construction
1 (in Rome)
1 (in Rome)

Technical Centre Europe (TCE): Rome, Italy
Employees
400 engineers, chemists, test drivers,
technicians and support personnel develop tyres
of outstanding performance and quality for our
automotive and after-market customers.
Facilities
Extending over 32 hectares, TCE has covered
floor-space, housing chemical, physical and
technical laboratories, a pilot manufacturing
plant, and an indoor drum tyre-testing complex.
A fully-equipped proving ground consists of
more than 8 km of test track surfaces for yearround
testing.

Technical Centre Europe (TCE): Rome, Italy
Functions & Capabilities
All phases of tyre, process and equipment design
and development for passenger, commercial van,
truck/bus and agricultural tyres for European and
African manufacturing facilities, including:
2D & 3D computer-aided-design & engineering for
curing moulds and tyres.
Chemical, physical & technical laboratories for
analysis of tyre materials.
Pilot plant for prototype/experimental tyre building.
Indoor tyre testing complex for drum evaluations.
Proving ground test tracks for tyres and vehicles.
Quality systems to meet ISO-9001, QS-9000, ISO/TS
16949 certified and environmental management system
ISO14001.

European Proving Ground
European Proving Ground (EUPG) at
Aprilia, near Rome, Italy, on 11th June
2004. Covering 144 hectares and dominated
by a 4 km oval circuit, the € 40 million facility
gives Bridgestone the most modern yearround
testing assets in Europe.

Tatabanya (Hungary)
Bilbao (Spain)
Burgos (Spain)
Manufacturing
Poznan (Poland)
Products
Each of the 7 plants specialises
in particular types of tyres,
covering the full range.
QS Certification
Bridgestone Europe tyre plants are
certified to the ISO9001 quality
standard since 1993 and QS9000
starting in 1997.
All of these approvals have been
granted by Lloyds Register Quality
Assurance Limited.
1 new plant under construction:
Stargard (Poland)
Béthune (France)
Bari (Italy)
Puente San Miguel (Spain)