NASHVILLE – Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) today announced plans to begin the process of relocating members of its senior management team and other specific functions of its Muscatine, Iowa-based Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS) operations to locations in the Nashville, Tenn., area, including BSAM’s headquarters facility in Nashville.
This decision is part of an overall effort to restructure the way BSAM does business across its North American operations. The goals are to become a more profitable and customer-focused business; to lower costs by eliminating duplication and inefficiencies; and to harness talent and expertise in a way that best serves the business. The company is installing new management operating systems to improve efficiencies and business processes, and enhancing the ability to measure business and individual performance.
“Change is always difficult, but relocating our headquarters team and certain functions to the Nashville area is the right business decision, and will align our resources and people in a way that will enable us to better serve our customers,” said Kurt Danielson, President, BBTS. “Our company has a rich heritage in Muscatine and I’m pleased that BBTS will be keeping certain business functions here and we will continue to be a part of this community.”
The BBTS functions that will remain in Muscatine are: Equipment Manufacturing, Emergency Road Service, Human Resources, Retread Manufacturing Management, Manufacturing Finance, Information Technology Developers and Support, Retread Engineering, Retread Technical Services, and Retread Research and Development. Approximately 220 BBTS teammates will remain in Muscatine.
The following BBTS functions will be relocating to locations in the Nashville area, including the company’s headquarters facility: Purchasing, Marketing, Finance, Accounts Payable, Credit, Business Strategy & Solutions Group, Customer Service, Legal, Safety and members of the Company Owned Operations senior management team. Thirty-two BBTS teammates will be relocating to Nashville as a result of this decision.
Further, 55 BBTS teammates who will not be relocating to Nashville have been asked to assist with the transition, which is expected to conclude no later than June 30, 2011. Eighteen positions within BBTS were eliminated effective today.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Americas and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its One Team, One Planet message, the company is dedicated to achieving a positive environmental impact in all of the communities it calls home.
About Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions
Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS), a division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, manufactures, markets and sells medium and heavy duty truck tires for the original equipment and replacement markets in the United States, and in Canada, through Bridgestone Canada Inc. Bridgestone, Firestone and Dayton brand truck tires are available through more than 2,500 dealers and truck stops across the U.S. and Canada. In addition, through its Bandag brand, Bandag retreading dealers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise. This combination of new and retread product offering provides trucking customers with total tire solutions.
