Bridgestone Announces U.S., Canadian Price Increases

(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) and Bridgestone/Firestone Canada Inc. (BFCA) have announced price increases on Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, associate and private brand tire lines.

Published: March 24, 2006

Passenger and light truck, medium truck and bus, ag and OTR tire prices will increase up to 5%. Replacement, OE and export channels are affected by the increases, which take effect May 1.

“Our tire companies continue to face unprecedented increases in raw material costs, especially in natural rubber, carbon black and fabrics such as polyester and nylon,” said Asahiko “Duke” Nishiyama, president of Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. “This situation has given us no choice but to take this action. Unfortunately, the impact of these rising costs simply can not be offset by the enhanced efficiencies and increased productivity that we continue to implement at all levels of our companies.”

Recommending summer tires based on customer demand

Let’s talk about why clear communication with customers is key with this segment.

By Christian Hinton

Published: April 25, 2024

If you’re a shop looking to sell summer tires, it’s important to know that customers looking for these tires have very specific needs. Let’s talk about why, before recommending summer tires, you need to fully understand customer performance requirements.

Unlike all-season or all-terrain tires built for diverse driving conditions, UHP summer tires are designed with one priority: dry and wet traction for performance driving. Lateral and longitudinal grip in dry and wet conditions are also important, which is achieved through optimized contact patches, high silica tread compounds and circumferential grooves to channel water. Generally, UHP summer tire tread design features large blocks and fewer grooves for more road contact on dry surfaces. The grooves are designed to channel water away from the tire, reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.