Bridgestone India all set to launch its Eco-Friendly range of tyres in India

Though radialisation in India is still in its growing stages, especially in the passenger car segment, it does hold immense potential for international tyre manufacturers, the likes of Bridgestone to develop world class tyres that will not just help it capture a larger chuck of the domestic tyre market, but also make our roads and the automobiles that traverse upon them a safer place.

More than ten years into its existence as a independent Indian subsidiary, Bridgestone India, has been a strong player mainly in the rubber replacement market and currently offers its Indian consumers its high performance Potenza Series and its Turanza range of tyres that are built for better comfort over long distances.

While, the B & S Series have been the rubber makers best selling tyres in the country so far, Bridgestone India has now developed a new range of eco-friendly tyres, known as ECOPIA (Ecology + Utopia), which it unveiled for the very first time to the Indian media gathered at its testing facility near Bangkok.

In keeping with the company’s core philosophy of “Eco-Friendliness”, “Safety” and “Reliability”, ECOPIA is a “go green” tyre that has been in the testing phase since 1991, when it was introduced as the ECOPIA EV-01 concept on a Daihatsu Electric Vehicle. Having been experimented on all forms of automobiles such as Solar Cars, Hyper Minis’, Trucks, Buses, Light Trucks, and passenger cars, this new generation of ECOPIA EP 100A tyre will be introduced by Bridgestone in India in August 2011.

Speaking at the official launch of the tyre in Bangkok, Bridgestone India, Managing Director, Hiromi Tanigawa, said “The new range of tyres are in range of our mission to help ensure healthy environment for current and future generations. With the changing emission norms around the world it was necessary to come up with this range to support auto manufacturers.”

Built with a special ECOPIA compound combined with Silica, the new range of ECOPIA tyres from Bridgestone will offer its buyers 30% lower rolling resistance and 2-3% better fuel efficiency as compared to normal tyres.

 Bridgestone 'ECOPIA' Launch and Test Drive Event

ECOPIA tyres have already been launched in Japan, Korea, Australia and Europe among other markets. But, now with Euro IV emission norms heading India’s way, Indian OEM’s may infact opt for such tyres in the near future, and this has pushed Bridgestone to introduce these low rolling resistance tyres in India.

Although these tyres will be directly imported from Thailand, Bridgestone is in the process of setting up a new plant near Chakan in Pune, in which it has invested a whopping 2,600 crores till date. This massive new plant will become Bridgestone’s second tyre manufacturing facility after its Indore plant, which has now reached full capacity. The company is aiming to have the Chakan plant operational by 2013.

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Bridgestone’s New Concept Stores

In order to spread awareness about its superior range of tyre offerings in India, Bridgestone has also brought forth its new Concept Store format in India. New Concept Select Super stores have already been set up in three Indian Cities of Bangalore, Noida and Erode.

The aim of these stores will be to enhance and improve the tyre buying experience for customers in India. Distinctively planned, designed and built on the concepts of Eco-Friendliness, Safety and Reliability, the new concept stores will be witness to complete transparency in operations and actively promote eco-friendly products and the environment both in the store and outside.

This new exclusive Bridgestone retail format along with its existing OE Franchisee, Auto Shop and local dealership network will help the organization further extend the reach of its products pan India. While advertising and other promotional campaigns for its ECOPIA EP100A tyres has already begun in the country, Bridgestone India will begin commercial sales of the same in August 2011.

 Bridgestone 'ECOPIA' Launch and Test Drive Event