Japanese tyre major Bridgestone Corporation recently introduced America’s legendary tyre brand Firestone with the Firestone FR500 for cars and Firestone Destination LE02 for SUVs in India.
The company said that 116-year-old Firestone brand will focus on the passenger car and SUV segments in the initial phase and then subsequently expand the size of the range. The new brand of tyres will be manufactured at Bridgestone’s plants inKheda near Indore and Chakan, Pune. The company did not offer the pricing details.
Launching the Firestone brand, Bridgestone India Managing Director Kazuhiko Mimura said that India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing automotive markets in the world over the past few years.
“We hope to garner our fair share of the market through a wide network of dealerships and superior quality and service,” Mimura said.
Firestone was founded in 1900 at Akron, Ohio, by Harvey Firestone and in 1988.Japan’s Bridgestone Corporation acquired all operations of Firestone, transforming Bridgestone into one of the world’s largest tyre and rubber companies.
Bridgestone entered India in 1996 and in March 1998 it set up its first manufacturing facility at Kheda in Madhya Pradesh, and expanded to Chakan, Pune in 2013.
Apart from tyres, the Tokyo-based firm also manufactures a broad range of diversified products including industrial rubber, chemical products and sporting goods sold in over 150 markets.