Earthquake in Japan Stopped the Work of Yokohama and Falken Plants
The earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan not long time ago brought to a stop the work of Falken and Yokohama automotive plants situated on the territory of the country. The plants didn’t suffer that great losses, so the production will be partially resumed in the nearest time.
Yokohama also decided to donate 50 million yen (about 440,000 Euro) to various organizations that deal with aftereffects of the March flood. The company presents their condolences to families of the dead and hopes that the area will be restored soon.
T. Ikeuchi, Falken financial director made a statement that one of their plants ceased everyday production operations due to power cutoffs as well as partially damaged plant buildings and equipment. Now the company estimates the scale of damage and is going to do its best to start working as soon as possible. Mr Ikeuchi also stated that nobody of Sumitomo employees or the members of their families suffered from the disaster.
Falken expresses its gratitude for all the calls and e-mails and states that they work to ensure regular delivery of their production to the customers.
The German Continental company shows their sympathy with the Japanese and is going to donate 250,000 million Euro to help people from destroyed areas. They are concerned about their employees in Japan, so do Michelin, Bridgestone and Toyo companies. The latter didn’t suffer much from the tsunami; however, their plants didn’t work for some time due to power cutoff.
The Biggest Tires in the World
Wheels and tires can be really big exceeding the height of people in some applications. It is dumpers and heavy-duty trucks that are equipped with such giant tires. Can you imagine how much money is needed to make such a tire set only for a dumper? Actually, dumper tires cost more than a passenger cars.
Giant dumpers should be equipped with giant tires, that’s why the size of dumpers depends to a large extent on tire manufacturers rather than on customers’ wishes or market research. In 1959 Michelin tire company launched the first large dumper tire, but for the industry needed durable tires, first giant dumpers appeared only in the 1970-s.
In 1976 Michelin made a real breakthrough in technology by unveiling a 57-inch tire, which opened the way to giantomania in extractive industry. Fifty-seven inches was the biggest tire size possible at that time and it was true for another two decades, but in 1990-s the Caterpillar company created a dumper with unprecedented carrying capacity of 345 tons. It was launched fitted with 63-inch tires made again by Michelin engineers. Each of the six tires was to carry as much as 104 tons of weight. The might of the Caterpillar dumper was surpassed only by the Liebherr T282B that could carry 363 tons of freight.
Nowadays the largest tires measure 59 inches and are put into mass production by Bridgestone and Michelin companies. Michelin 59/80R63 XDR, for instance, features an extra-deep tread picture and hence offers long mileage, which results into its impressive price tag ($60 000). It weighs 5 tons and features 890 kg of iron to ensure 100-ton carrying capacity and excellent durability. Its rubber is enough for making 600 passenger tires.
Many people wonder whether there will be tires bigger than 63-inch ones. The experts give a “No” answer. It is restricted by the possibilities of their transportation. Cargo ships, planes and trains are designed to carry tires measuring 4.3 meters in diameter while the biggest Michelin tires features a 4.03-meter diameter. In theory, the size of tires can be increased, but there’s little practical use while it will costs large sums of money.
History Of Bridgestone
There are few companies in the world whose founders at the beginning of their activity set the goal as clearly as the founder of the Bridgestone company. Before the founding of the company he already was a successful businessman. In 1925 Shojiro Ishibashi organized the production of Tabi, Japanese national shoes. Rapid development of the country’s economy urged him to start research of the tire market and in 1930 the first Bridgestone tire was made. Soon Ishibashi understood that his dream was to become the first tire manufacturer in Japan. So, in 1931 Bridgestone company appeared. Shojiro linked his company with the English variation of his name (Ishibashi is translated as “stone bridge” - Bridgestone). From the very beginning of his activity Shojiro was prepared for the international activity.
At the beginning of the 50ies the company developed rapidly. Its headquarters was transferred to Tokyo and in 1953 the sales reached 10 billion yen a year what made Bridgestone the largest Japanese tire manufacturer.
In 1962 the company designed first radial truck tires, in 1964 – first radial tires for passenger cars. Rapid development of the automobile industry inspired Bridgestone and the company started expansion to the international market. A factory was opened in Malaysia. It was the first factory opened abroad since WWII. In 1967 a subsidiary company was opened in the United States. Bridgestone’s campaign for the rise of quality and production volumes helped the company win prestigious Deming Prize in 1968.
In 1976 Shojiro Ishibashi died but his company continued to develop enhancing its influence on the market and advancing new kinds of activity. In 1979 the first series of aluminum wheels was launched and the technology on the processing of old tires into fuel for furnaces was adopted.
The 80ies began for Bridgestone with the epochal event – celebration of the company’s 50ieth anniversary but it was only the beginning of a series of victories such as the development of revolutionary technologies and purchase of other companies.
The extension began with the opening of the first Bridgestone’s tire and wheel retail shop abroad. The enhancement of the company’s positions on the global market continued with the purchase of production facilities in Tennessee from Firestone. In 1988 the whole Firestone company, the second largest tire company in America, was bought by Bridgestone for 2,6 billion dollars. It meant that Bridgestone acquired a status of truly global corporation.
European Firestone office was opened in Belgium in 1989. Both offices – Bridgestone and Firestone – are located in the same building in Brussels. Despite this, companies preserved their authentic names.
Bridgestone was successful not only in business. The technological breakthrough carried out by the company’s specialists made a revolution in the tire industry. In 1982 Bridgestone presented the first Japanese studless winter tire and five years later the tire got a special microporous rubber compound. It was the time when two Bridgestone’s revolutionary technologies appeared: rolling optimization theory and theory of load distribution for truck tires. In 1986 Bridgestone RE71 was used by the Porsche company for the original equipment of exclusive version of Porsche 959 – the fastest serial car of that time.
In 2001 Bridgestone was recognized by the world car manufacturers as the leading company on the production of run-flat tires. It was Potenza RE040 RFT tire. As a result BMW and Lexus began to use the tire for the original equipment of their most prestigious sport models Z8 and SC430.
Bridgestone and Michael Schumacher Take Part In Make Cars Green Ecological Program
The goal of Make Cars Green program created by FIA is the popularization of maximum ecological use of cars.
Michael Schumacher took part in the event that was held by Bridgestone in Melbourne. “We are very glad that Michael joined us to help develop Make Cars Green Program”, - said Andrew Moffatt, chief executive of Australian Bridgestone department.
“Our Bridgestone Potenza Formula One tires are evidence of the global support of the program as they have bright green stripe that symbolizes the support. We have recently presented Bridgestone Ecopia tires in Australia. The tires ensure low rolling resistance level in order to reduce fuel consumption and harmful emission. The tires are very important to us as they will help show Australian drivers how tires can affect the environmental friendliness of their vehicles.”.
The program offers 10 items that should be followed: buy environmental friendly goods, plan trips, check the pressure in the tires more often, reduce loads and don’t install trunks on the roof, start a trip without warming the engine up, use air conditioning only in case of necessity, accelerate slowly and maintain constant speed, avoid idle running, compensate CO2 emissions.
“If the level of pressure is only 50kPa lower than the required level, the fuel consumption level rises by 2% in the city and by 10% on a highway, - noted Mr. Moffatt. – Besides this, tires with a proper level of pressure provide higher level of traction what in its turn promotes not only environmental friendliness but also safety”.
