Bridgestone Tire Failure

A tire failure or blowout at highway speeds can lead to a severe wreck or rollover accident with catastrophic injuries and losses. If a Bridgestone tire suffers a tread separation, ply / belt loss, blowout, tread loss, sidewall failure, detread or any type of sudden deflation or tire failure, the vehicle may lose control and wreck or roll over. The Willis Law Firm has investigated hundreds of tire defect and rollover accident cases nationwide on behalf of seriously injured motorists and their families for over 20 years. If you have been in a serious accident or rollover in which you believe a Bridgestone tire failure may have caused or contributed to the accident, then give our law firm a call and speak with a lawyer or attorney today. Our law firm offers a free case evaluation. Call us: Toll Free 1-800-883-9858.

Bridgestone Passenger Tires

Bridgestone makes millions of tires a year. Bridgestone's more popular passenger tire models include:

Extreme Performance Summer

• Potenza RE-01R

Max Performance Summer

• Potenza RE050
• Potenza RE050 RFT
• Potenza RE050A
• Potenza RE050A II RFT
• Potenza RE050A Pole Position
• Potenza RE050A RFT
• Potenza RE050A Scuderia
• Potenza S-02
• Potenza S-02 A
• Potenza S-03 Pole Position

Ultra High Performance Summer

• Expedia S-01
• Potenza RE010
• Potenza RE011
• Potenza RE030
• Potenza RE040
• Potenza RE040 RFT
• Potenza RE070
• Potenza RE750
• RE71 Denloc

Ultra High Performance All-Season

• Potenza RE960AS Pole Position

High Performance All-Season

• Potenza G 009
• Potenza RE92
• Potenza RE92A
• Potenza RE92A RFT

High Performance Summer

• Potenza RE93

Grand Touring Summer

• Turanza ER30
• Turanza ER33
• Turanza ER33 RFT

Grand Touring All-Season

• Turanza LS-H
• Turanza LS-V
• Turanza LS-Z
• Turanza Serenity

Standard Touring All-Season

• Turanza EL400
• Turanza EL400-02
• Turanza EL41
• Turanza EL42
• Turanza EL42 Plus
• Turanza EL42 RFT
• Turanza LS-T

Passenger All-Season

• B380 RFT
• B381
• B450
• Ecopia EP-02
• Insignia SE200
• Insignia SE200-02
• Studless Ice and Snow
• Blizzak LM-50 RFT
• Blizzak MZ-03
• Blizzak MZ-03 RFT
• Blizzak REVO 1
• Blizzak WS-50
• Blizzak WS-60

Performance Winter

• Blizzak LM-22
• Blizzak LM-22 RFT
• Blizzak LM-25
• Blizzak LM-25 RFT

Bridgestone Light Truck Tires and SUV Tires

Bridgestone's more popular light truck and suv tire models include:

Street/Sport Truck Summer

• Dueler H/P Sport
• Dueler H/P Sport RFT

Street/Sport Truck All-Season

• Dueler H/P

Highway Rib Summer

• R187
• R265
• R265 5-Rib

Highway All-Season

• Dueler H/L
• Dueler H/L 400
• Dueler H/L 400 RFT
• Dueler H/L Alenza
• Dueler H/T 470
• Dueler H/T D684
• Dueler H/T D684 II
• Dueler H/T D687
• Dueler H/T D689
• Dueler H/T D840
• Duravis M700
• Duravis M773II

On-/Off-Road All-Terrain

• Dueler A/T D693
• Dueler A/T D693 II
• Dueler A/T D695
• Dueler A/T RH-S
• Dueler A/T Revo

Off-Road Maximum Traction

• Dueler M/T D673

Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice and Snow

• Blizzak DM-Z3
• Blizzak W965

Light Truck/SUV Performance Winter

• Blizzak LM-25 4X4

About Bridgestone Corporation

Bridgestone Corporation, is a Japanese rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a literal translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese. It is currently the largest tire manufacturer in the world.

Bridgestone is currently ranked as the top company in the global tire market, with Michelin second and Goodyear third. As of the end of 2005, production facilities belonging to the Bridgestone Group have increased to 141 spread throughout twenty-four nations of the world. In order to attain this level of globalization, the company established a new set of corporate policies in the year 2001. In continuation of this, company's Brand Vision was also established in 2003.

History of Bridgestone

The very first Bridgestone tire was produced on April 9, 1930, by the Japanese "Tabi" Socks Tire Division (actually made Jika-tabi). One year later on March 1, 1931, the founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, made the "Tabi" Socks Tire Division independent and established the Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. Foregoing dependence on European and North American technology, the Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. set its eyes on manufacturing tires based solely on Japanese technology. The foundling company experienced many difficulties in the areas of technology, production and sales in the early days. Eventually, improvements were achieved in quality and manufacturing processes which led to the business rapidly expanding on both the domestic and overseas markets.

On March 1, 1981, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary since its foundation. At the same time, the company initiated activities to strengthen its home base that supported overseas expansion strategy with the aim of being ranked as one of the world's top three manufacturers of rubber products. New production facilities were also established in Thailand, India, Poland, China, the United States and other countries, and this has spurred the company on in the quest for globalization. To further establish corporate identity, the company changed the name from Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. to Bridgestone Corporation in 1984.

Bridgestone Purchases Firestone

In 1988, Bridgestone puchased the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. Placing considerable financial and personnel resources into rebuilding Firestone after the purchase, Bridgestone achieved surplus annual profits for the year 1992 with BFE (Bridgestone Firestone Europe) and again in 1993 with BFS (Bridgestone Firestone USA). The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd. USA were amalgamated in 1990 and became "Bridgestone Firestone North American Holdings Ltd." In order to increase the Firestone subsidiary's brand awareness, Bridgestone Firestone NAH Ltd, re-entered the Firestone brand into IndyCar racing in 1995, and in 1997 Bridgestone Corporation Japan entered the Bridgestone brand into F1 racing.

Bridgestone's Global Locations

Bridgestone has major manufacturing plants in many countries around the world. Presently (2007) Bridgestone has 57 tire plants, 98 diversified product plants, and 4 major technical centers globally.

Bridgestone in North America

As part of reinforcement plans, the company purchased a plant in Tennessee from the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, first manufacturing plant in North America, and started the production of radial tires for trucks and buses in 1983. Bridgestone also has a steel cord plant in Clarksville, TN named Bridgestone Metalpha. Metalpha is currently ranked as the top provider in the global steel cord market.

In May 1988, a take-over bid for America's No.2 tire manufacturer Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was successful and Firestone was placed under the Bridgestone umbrella as a subsidiary company. This purchase brought a large number of the Firestone global production sites into the Bridgestone company, including: North America, Central and South America, Europe, New Zealand and other locations. Bridgestone also commenced production in Turkey.

Nashville-based Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. (BSAH) is the U.S. subsidiary of the Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BSAH and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies also produce air springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber and industrial fibres and textiles and operate the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers.

Bridgestone Acquires Bandag

On December 05, 2006, Bridgestone Americas and Bandag Inc. announced a merger agreement which will see Bridgestone acquire Bandag, a leading tire (mainly truck) re-treader with over 900 franchised dealers worldwide. Bridgestone's president in Tokyo explained, "Higher fuel prices are prompting customers to cut costs by using retreads. It takes time and costs to develop this size of business. We were able to get that all at once." The transaction is valued at approximately $1.05 billion.

On May 31, 2007, Bridgestone Americas acquired the outstanding shares of Bandag Stock for $50.75 per share. Bandag is a world leader in the retreading business and is based in Muscatine, Iowa. The name of new company has become Bridgestone Bandag, LLC and Saul Solomon has been appointed to the position of Chairman, CEO and President of Bandag. Previously, Solomon served as Vice President and General Counsel of BSAH. Bandag's headquarters will remain in Muscatine.

Bridgestone Aircraft Tire

Bridgestone Aircraft Tire (USA) is a manufacturer of aircraft tires and offers retread servicing. Bridgestone America's Holdings announced in May 2006 that it would be moving its Miami, FL aviation operation to its new 160,000 square foot facility located in Mayodan, NC. This move is expected to be completed by mid 2007 and will create approximately 95 new jobs. CEO and President of Bridgestone Aircraft Tire (USA) Joe Rayna is quoted as saying; "This move allows us to continue to prepare for a changing market, both in demand and in product mix. New modern aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380, arrive fitted with new Bridgestone technology aircraft tires, and this new facility will complement that technology." Bridgestone Aircraft Tire (USA) has been a major supplier of aircraft tires and retreads to the aircraft industry for over 70 years and has sister aviation facilities in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Belgium.

Tire Defects - Serious Accident and Injury Legal Help

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured, or a loved one has been killed, as the result of a tire defect, tire failure, tread separation, tire blowout, rollover accident, or any other serious injury accident, then please call us to discuss your legal rights to a potential product liability lawsuit. Please fill out our online form by following the link below or call us right now: Toll Free 1-800-883-9858.

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