According to Mitsui, Bridgestone holds 30% of Oman’s passenger car tyre aftermarket. This high percentage, he believes, is in part the result of the predominance of Japanese cars sold on this market, most of which arrive fitted with Bridgestone as OE.
The activities of Bridgestone’s regional distributor, Towell Auto Centre, is another key factor, said Mitsui. From a solitary outlet in 2001 the distributor has expanded to 16 outlets by 2007. However, the general manager believes that, should a sufficient supply of tyres become available, Bridgestone could feasibly hold 40% of this market segment. Across all market segments, Bridgestone currently holds 35% of the market.
Supply has been a problem, Mitsui admits, and not just in Oman. Massive increases in demand from particular markets, such as China and Russia, have led to Bridgestone’s production capacity lagging behind global demand. Oman is only one of a number of markets where distributors face supply shortages. To rectify this situation, production capacity is being expanded in a number of locations; facilities in Mexico, Poland and Hungary will enter operation in 2008, and will the company’s new giant OTR tyre plant in Japan.
In terms of new tyres, Bridgestone is planning to release several new products especially customised for the region’s harsh weather conditions. The latest new release, the Adrenalin Potenza RE001 is the street version of the high speed Potenza. (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)