Bridgestone is a name that needs no introduction in the tyre industry. The largest manufacturer of tyres in the world today, the company has a strong presence in many countries including India. It entered the Indian market in 1996 by setting up its Indian subsidiary – Bridgestone India Private Ltd. Today, Bridgestone India is a leading supplier of tyres to all the major OEMs in the country.
To cater to the demands of the rapidly growing Indian automobile segment, the company has two state-of-the-art manufacturing plants – one at Pithampur Industrial Area in Indore and another one at Chakan Industrial Area in Pune – and a large network of dealers across the country. With the Government all set to introduce new emission control regulations, the company is gearing up to adopt new standards and retain its top market position amidst intense competition.
Offering his thoughts on the changes the industry is likely to undergo in the next five years, Mr. Junya Mochizuki, Marketing Manager, Commercial Tyres, Bridgestone India, said: “The CO2 emission control regulations and increasing fuel economy are projected to be positive drivers for the commercial tyre industry in the next five years. There will also be a strong urgency among industry players to pursue new vehicle and tyre technologies to reduce energy usage.”
Mr. Mochizuki also noted that many countries are setting minimum standards for commercial tyres in terms of rolling resistance and wet traction and India too may set similar standards in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions and increase fuel efficiency.
As the country’s infrastructure develops, the industry will shift more towards radial tyres in the coming years. Radial tyres also bring in higher margins than bias tyres for fleet operators, which is one of the reasons why Mr. Mochizuki expects a natural inclination towards radial tyres in the near future.
Throwing light on the company’s targets in terms of new commercial products, Mr. Mochizuki stated that Bridgestone India always focuses on developing products catering specifically to Indian market requirements. The company has introduced fuel saving tyres to the market. It recently launched 295/80 R22.5 ECOPIA R159 tyres specifically for inter-city buses. It has also introduced low-cost TBR tyres to help price-sensitive fleets enjoy the benefits of radials at an affordable price. It will also be launching new patterns and sizes, as it aims to bring a complete portfolio of superior products and services to its customers.
Observing that the Indian market has different types of customers with different behavioral patterns, operations, and needs, Mr. Mochizuki said: “We have holistically profiled such segments for the future and we look to introduce superior products that deliver high performance at a competitive price to these target segments.”
The company currently supplies tyres to all the major OEMs and has plans to reach out to other OEMs as well. It is also keeping a close watch on the market condition and will expand its manufacturing facilities depending on market demand.
On asked about Bridgestone India’s plans to compete in an increasingly competitive Indian commercial tyre market, Mr. Mochizuki emphatically stated that their products are superior in terms of tyre life, technology, and efficiency and that their success in the domestic and global markets is a testimony of the same.
Concluding the interaction, Mr. Mochizuki pointed out: “Our corporate mission is ‘serving society with superior quality’, which is the key for our success. We deliver not just superior quality products, but also superior ‘quality service’. We are working on many such initiatives to understand and serve our customers to the fullest.”
By M.K. Prabhakar