Bridgestone/Firestone Consolidates Tire Operations Into Four Operating Units; New Alignment Will Speed Decision-Making and Increase Knowledge Sharing And Accountability Across the Organization
18 October 2000
Bridgestone/Firestone Consolidates Tire Operations Into Four Operating Units; New Alignment Will Speed Decision-Making and Increase Knowledge Sharing And Accountability Across the Organization
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 18 In a move designed to speed
decision-making, increase the accountability of senior managers and ensure
greater consistency in its operating procedures, John T. Lampe, chairman,
chief executive officer and president of Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. announced
a series of management changes and a new streamlined organization for the tire
maker.
"Since the early nineties, we have been a decentralized company, focusing
on 21 separate businesses," said Lampe. "While this structure was innovative
and successful for our company then, it is time to dismantle the castle walls
and empty the moats. Going forward, our emphasis will be on better
information and knowledge sharing, and more direct accountability at all
levels inside the company."
Effective immediately, the company said it would initially consolidate
several of its business divisions into four new operating units, reporting
directly to Lampe. They are:
U.S. Commercial Tire -- This business unit brings together
Bridgestone/Firestone's truck, agriculture, off-the-road tires, and tube
operations into this single unit. Chuck Ramsey, 51, has been appointed
president of the company's U.S. Commercial Tire group and will continue as
executive vice president of Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
U.S. Consumer Tire -- This new unit incorporates the company's consumer
tire sales, original equipment sales, retail operations and credit card
businesses. Shu Ishibashi, 46, will oversee this unit as president and will
also serve as executive vice president of Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. Most
recently, Ishibashi was the division vice president of tire marketing.
International Tire Operations -- All international tire operations are
being consolidated to maximize coordination across the company's Americas'
business, under the leadership of Mark Emkes. Emkes, 47, becomes president of
International Tire Operations and continues as executive vice president of
Bridgestone/Firestone. Previously, Emkes was president of
Bridgestone/Firestone do Brasil.
Vito DeFlorio, 63, currently president of Bridgestone/Firestone Argentina
will hold the concurrent positions as head of the company's Brazilian and
Argentine operations.
The company said that further announcements regarding key appointments
within each of these three new units will be made in the next few weeks.
Manufacturing and Technology Operations -- Last week, Isao Togashi, 58,
was named vice chairman of Bridgestone/Firestone. In addition to his board
position, Togashi will be joining the management team in Nashville in early
November as president of Manufacturing and Technology Operations, overseeing
all research, technology and manufacturing operations.
Reporting to Togashi, other executive appointments announced today within
Manufacturing and Technology Operations include:
Shigehisa Sano will be appointed executive vice president of
Bridgestone/Firestone and president of Product Development, effective next
month. Sano, 54, is currently director of tire development for Bridgestone
Corporation in Japan.
Itsuo Miyake will become president of Bridgestone/Firestone Research.
Miyake, 53, has been general manager of Tire Material Development at
Bridgestone Corp.
Seiya Kaneko, 61, currently president of the company's
Bridgestone/Firestone's technology and research divisions, will continue in
that capacity until Sano and Miyake join the company in November.
Nobuo Kawakami, 60, currently president of Bridgestone/Firestone South
Carolina division, will become president of Manufacturing Operations and
senior vice president of Bridgestone/Firestone.
Other key moves announced today, include:
Steve Brooks, 47, currently general manager of the Bridgestone/Firestone
South Carolina Aiken County plant, will become plant manager, reporting to
Kawakami.
Kazuyoshi Gobaru, 58, currently division vice president of Supply,
Planning and Sourcing, will continue in that capacity, also reporting to
Kawakami.
Kaz Nishigai, 50, will be appointed plant manager of the company's Warren
County, Tenn. Facility, succeeding Isaac Motohasi, 46, who is accepting a new
assignment with Bridgestone Corporation in Japan.
"More changes will be made in the coming weeks," said Lampe. "While our
highest priority is to complete the recall in November and to determine the
root cause or causes of our recent tire problems, these changes are critical
moves in our efforts to begin to restore consumer confidence and revitalize
the Firestone brand."
About Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. is a subsidiary of Bridgestone
Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company.
Bridgestone/Firestone manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton
and house and private brand tires. The company also produces Firestone air
springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber and industrial products. The
company employees 36,900 employees in the United States and 10,600 people in
Canada and Latin America. For further information, please visit the website
at http://www.bridgestone-firestone.com.