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Bridgestone Firestone working on the details, but executive in Akron says talks proceeding
By Jim Mackinnon
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008
Building a new Bridgestone Firestone technical center in Akron isn't a done deal, the company's North American chief executive said Tuesday.
But negotiations involving the tire maker, Akron, Summit County and Ohio governments are moving along just fine, said Mark Emkes, chairman and CEO of Nashville-based Bridgestone Americas. Earlier this year, the Ohio public officials put together an estimated $100 million package, beating out a competing Tennessee proposal, to replace the company's aging tech center and keep as many as 1,000 well-paying jobs in Akron.
''While the (tech center) deal is not 100 percent finalized, it's an exciting proposal for our company, our teammates in this community. It makes perfect sense. Our technical talent is here,'' Emkes said. ''Although we still have some work to do to make this dream a reality, this project, if approved, will keep us here in Akron designing tires for a long time.''
Emkes said he is optimistic that the North American company's board of directors — he is its chairman — and the board of corporate parent Bridgestone Corp. in Japan will approve the Akron project by the end of this year.
''The process is going smoothly,'' Emkes said.
The deal is expected to create a state-of-the-art 240,000-square-foot tech center at its research and computer facilities campus off South Main Street, as well as significantly revitalize the Firestone Park neighborhood.
Emkes was the keynote speaker Tuesday morning for the Tire Society's annual Meeting on Tire Science and Technology, scheduled this week along with the larger International Tire Exhibition and Conference at the John S. Knight Center.
The two events, along with other related meetings, are expected to draw more than 2,200 people from around the world to discuss the latest in tire technology and products. Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, in introducing Emkes, said the conference might be the most important one that the city hosts.
While Emkes updated the audience about the progress being made on the Akron technical center, his talk primarily focused on green tire technology — as in, environmentally friendly.
One of the more critical issues facing the tire industry is the effect of the environmental movement, Emkes said.
Bridgestone Firestone is among the tire companies that is responding by not only making tires that are more environmentally friendly, but also redesigning and re-engineering processes and factories to make them cleaner, he said.
''It's not just what we make
that counts, it's how we make it that matters,'' Emkes said. ''We're all working to find ways to go green. It's everyone in the tire and rubber business. And we're all doing it because it's good business.''
It's also the right thing to do, he said.
Bridgestone has created the ''Ecopia'' tire line, now being sold primarily in Japan, that is engineered with the lowest possible rolling resistance to help cars get better gas mileage, he said. Ecopia brands will reach North America in 2009 and the same technology will be incorporated into some of the company's other tire lines, he said.
Neeraj Kanwar, vice chairman and joint managing director of India-based Apollo Tyres Ltd., delivers a keynote address at 9:15 a.m. today for the ITEC conference in the JSK Center. At 9:15 a.m. Thursday, Yue Chung Cheng, general manager of Double Coin Holdings Ltd. of China, delivers a second keynote address at the JSK Center.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com.
Building a new Bridgestone Firestone technical center in Akron isn't a done deal, the company's North American chief executive said Tuesday.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 08:57 AM, 09/17/2008
Hmmm, too bad the ABJ and the city hall hero made it sound like this was a done deal. I guess they jumped the gun.
Posted 09:17 AM, 09/17/2008
Firestone park is in need of a revitalization.
Akron, OH
Posted 01:04 PM, 09/17/2008
Nothin' a few bulldozers couldn't solve, followed by a Toyota plant and mebbe a Sonic, john.
Sterling, Oh
Posted 04:35 PM, 09/17/2008
Sheltering Bridgestone/Firestone in a property tax abated enterprise zone in the USA. To evade marketing cost of Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and Americas grandchildren, low-income workers, volunteers without wages, and nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life. Paying property tax Bridgestone/Firestone evades marketing tax cost in the wholesale and retail price of product and service on their American Dream Supreme Court declared Unconstitutional. Bankrupts Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and Americas grandchildren, low income workers, volunteers without wages, and nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life, makes Bridgestone/Firestone product and service and Human Beings life UNAFFORDABLE! http://www.loreneberly.com
Sterling, Oh
Posted 04:51 PM, 09/17/2008
Sheltering Bridgestone/Firestone in a property tax abated enterprise zone in the USA. To evade marketing cost of Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and Americas grandchildren, low-income workers, volunteers without wages, and nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life. Paying property tax Bridgestone/Firestone evades marketing tax cost in the wholesale and retail price of product and service on their American Dream Supreme Court declared Unconstitutional. Bankrupts Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and Americas grandchildren, low income workers, volunteers without wages, and nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life, makes Bridgestone/Firestone product and service and Human Beings life UNAFFORDABLE!
