According to GoAutoMedia, Bridgestone Australia continues to expand its business despite market pressures from low-cost imports and a relatively stagnant national vehicle fleet. The company is investing heavily in digital sales, logistics, and sustainability while maintaining its role in tyre stewardship.

E-commerce is a key growth driver. “Our e-commerce growth is 30 per cent year on year, and our retail business is growing at double digits,” said Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand managing director Heath Barclay. Customers buying tyres online are also tending to trade up to premium products. “Consumers are buying a more premium tyre online because they feel educated about the features and benefits,” added general manager of marketing David Honner.

Sustainability remains central to the company’s strategy. All Bridgestone stores in Australia are required to use Tyre Stewardship Australia-accredited recyclers. “They go into other means like crumb for roads, flooring, devulcanized rubber, or tyre-derived fuel,” explained Bridgestone head of sustainability Jo Hayes. Mr Barclay noted, however, that end-of-life tyre management remains a “cost centre” until recycling technologies can generate more value.

The Australian arm also supports Bridgestone’s global operations by hosting tyre testing for original equipment (OE) deals. Recently, this included collaboration with Toyota on a forthcoming LandCruiser model. “Sometimes we will do testing with them for their platforms… and test them against (Australian) conditions,” said Mr Barclay.

With a new 23,000-square-metre warehouse in Queensland and an expanded servicing network, Bridgestone is positioning itself for continued growth. But the company is clear it will not compete on bargain-basement pricing. “We are not going to compromise safety and go down to a level where we make an unsafe product just to hit a price point,” Barclay emphasised.

Read the full article at GoAutoMedia.