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WHEELS STILL TURNING
Bridgestone tech center to be in Akron or Murfreesboro

Tire maker narrows selections to two sites

By Jim Mackinnon
Beacon Journal business writer

Published on Thursday, Jun 05, 2008

Akron remains in the running for a new Bridgestone Firestone Technical Center.

The Nashville-based subsidiary of the Japanese tire company said Wednesday it is down to two — out of an original five — options:

• A new building in Firestone Park.

• A new building in Murfreesboro, Tenn., southeast of Nashville.

A local company search committee has rejected renovating its existing building off South Main Street in Akron, building a new facility on White Pond Drive, and building a new facility in Nashville near its North American headquarters.

The local Bridgestone Firestone committee had hoped to recommend a final choice by the end of May to top North American executives, but the team is still working.

''We haven't reached that final recommendation,'' said Bob Handlos, vice president for materials and race tire technology, who is heading up the local search process. ''We're in the process of clarifying things. This is a very complex situation. Sometimes one answer generates three or four more questions.''

Handlos said he was disappointed that he was unable to get the process completed by the end of May.

Handlos said a local recommendation will be made ''as soon as possible,'' but declined to give a specific deadline. He said he understood that Bridgestone Firestone employees, as well as the two finalist communities, are anxious for an answer.

One thing that employees know now is, ''We have decided we need a new facility,'' Handlos said.

The current technical center is in a former Firestone tire factory built in 1911 that also housed Firestone's corporate headquarters. It employs about 600 people in high-pay
ing jobs.

Bridgestone Firestone said it needs a state-of-the-art facility to attract and retain employees.

A Bridgestone Firestone statement released Wednesday reads in full:

''In January, Bridgestone Americas announced its intention to create a world class technical center, either by updating and extensively renovating the existing facility in Akron, Ohio, or building a new one in Akron or the Middle Tennessee area. Though the company is not ready to make a final recommendation at this time, it has made significant progress toward a decision.

''The company has been evaluating two proposals in Tennessee (Nashville and Murfreesboro) and three proposals in the Akron area (White Pond, Firestone Park and a renovation of the existing facility). Recently, Bridgestone Americas eliminated the White Pond and Nashville sites, as well as the possibility of renovating, from consideration. The company is now focused on completing its evaluation of the Murfreesboro and Akron (Firestone Park) proposals. A number of points in these proposals must be clarified before a final recommendation will be made to senior management.

 

''The final recommendation must be approved by the Board of Directors of both Bridgestone Americas and Bridgestone Corporation.

''Bridgestone Americas is committed to finding a course of action that is best for the company and its teammates.''

Handlos said the review process quickly determined that it did not make financial sense to renovate the current technical center.

The White Pond location was tempting, he said, but committee members felt it made the most sense to keep all of the Akron-based Bridgestone Firestone employees in close proximity, which left the option of a new building in Firestone Park that presumably would be nearby an existing research center at Wilbeth Road and South Main Street.

Nashville's proposal was well done, but the search committee decided the proposed Murfreesboro site made the most sense in Tennessee based on operational needs, Handlos said.

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic earlier this week said he understood that the local Bridgestone Firestone committee needed more time to come up with a recommendation to give to Nashville executives.

The state of Ohio, Summit County and Akron pulled together what was estimated to be a $68 million economic-development package to keep the tire company's technical center in Akron.

Bridgestone Firestone wants to move its employees into a new technical center by 2011.

Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com.

 

Akron remains in the running for a new Bridgestone Firestone Technical Center.

Get the full article here.


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