MUSCATINE, Iowa — Bridgestone has folded together its Bridgestone, Firestone and Dayton businesses and the recently acquired Bandag retreading operation into a single operating unit, the company announced.

The new operation, called Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions, will be headquartered in Bandag’s headquarters in Muscatine, Iowa.

According to a report by Truckinginfo.com, it will direct its efforts toward fleets through a new management structure that supports the tire dealers and truckstops from the Bridgestone side, and the franchisees from the Bandag side, resulting in the largest truck-tire distribution footprint in the U.S.

Bridgestone Firestone dealers include the company’s truckstop partners, ensuring that fleets get support on the road as well as at the home terminal. And with the Bandag business, fleets will be able to channel retread business through their established tire dealer/supplier.

“Virtually every time we asked our dealers what we could do to deliver more value, the answer was consistently the same,” said Art Campagnone, vice president of sales.

Bridgestone Bandag is bringing more research
and development to North America.

“We needed to be more fleet-focused and less concerned with filling our dealer’s shelves. More time with the fleets, less time with the dealers.” To achieve the required coverage, within the organization of BBTS, there are now three distinct marketing channels: OE, Truckstops and National Fleet.

Additionally, Bridgestone Firestone is bringing more of its research and development to North America.

The company is working on a larger TBR research and development group in Akron to better understand the North American market and improve performance quality.

— from Truckinginfo.com