Bridgestone a champion of sustainability and durability

04/07/2024

A long-term sponsor of Full of the Pipe and a name known to every trucker worldwide, key FOTP sponsor Bridgestone is a global leader in premium tyres and sustainable mobility solutions. Offering low rolling resistance and exceptional tyre life cost, Bridgestone’s premium commercial vehicle tyres are regarded as the best in the industry for a reason.

Bridgestone was named Tyre Manufacturer of the Year at the 2024 Tyre Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence - an acknowledgment which underscores the world’s largest tyre and rubber company’s unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability and excellence within the tyre industry. 

Bridgestone was selected for this prestigious award for a number of reasons, such as the introduction and use of ENLITEN Technology, and the environmental actions taken at its production sites.  

Sustainability is at the core of Bridgestone's business strategy. This is demonstrated by its ENLITEN technology, along with investments in green and smart manufacturing and innovations like Virtual Tyre Development. Bridgestone’s ENLITEN technology has been developed to maximise safety and provide outstanding tyre performance for drivers, while improving the sustainability characteristics of tyres and making them EV-ready.

Delivering best-in-class fuel efficiency, the Bridgestone Ecopia ENLITEN range is the latest generation of the popular long-haul tyre line-up Ecopia, supporting fleets with best-in-class fuel efficiency and improved mileage. The latest Ecopia range from Bridgestone provides EU label A-grade rolling resistance, with a 12 per cent reduction in drive and an 8 per cent reduction in steer compared to Ecopia’s previous generation.

Brought to market in January, 2024, the range offers 40 per cent higher mileage in steer and up to 6 percent higher mileage in drive.

Created for fleets seeking to maximise fuel efficiency and boost their total value of ownership, the Ecopia ENLITEN range applies Bridgestone’s innovative approach to tyre development, ENLITEN, to unlock enhanced wear and reduced rolling resistance all year around. The launch of this new range marked the first use of ENLITEN in a Bridgestone truck tyre.

The Bridgestone Ecopia ENLITEN range provides a performance that cuts costs and CO2 emissions. The Ecopia’s ENLITEN technology package incorporates new technologies and innovations from Bridgestone. These include low energy pattern designs and high-performance compounds focused on fuel efficiency, and a new spiral belt construction in low profile Ecopia Steer ENLITEN tyres that increases cornering power and optimises pressure distribution to improve wear life.

The new Bridgestone Ecopia Steer ENLITEN and Ecopia Drive ENLITEN tyres are available from January 2024 in size 315/70 R22.5, with four additional sizes to be added throughout 2024 and one further size in 2025. Ecopia Trailer ENLITEN will be available from late 2024 to complete the range.

Bridgestone will be displaying both their best-in-class Duravis and Ecopia truck tyres at Full of the Pipe in Mondello Park this weekend, as well as tyres from their Firestone range. “Duravis tyres are synonymous with ultra-low rolling resistance and the new Ecopia takes sustainability to the next level,” says Colm Conyngham,

Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Bridgestone Ireland.

“Tyres are not just round and black. The level of technology, research and investment going into Bridgestone tyres reflects the company’s status as the biggest tyre and rubber company in the world. Our research and innovation is unmatched by any other tyre company. Sustainability is huge now and Bridgestone has embraced sustainability in a big way.”

To this end, by 2050, Bridgestone aims to bring tyres to market which use 100 per cent sustainable materials. The plan is already on track through developing their recycling capabilities, investing in renewable materials while introducing new raw materials, including sustainable polymers, for tyre production.

As well as manufacturing tyres for passenger vehicles, vans and trucks, Bridgestone also produces tyres for motorbikes, buses, agricultural vehicles, off-road vehicles, even aircraft. This equates to over 180 varieties of tyres in over 600 sizes. They also create more than 80 new tech innovations and patents annually, and operate in over 150 countries, with 120 plants and R&D facilities.

“A lot of small-to-medium operators are struggling financially at the moment and some of them can’t afford the initial investment in premium tyres, even though they will save money over the lifetime of those tyres. That’s where the mid-range tyre comes in and we strive to give as much technology as we can to as many as we can,” adds Colm.

“Unfortunately, when you are including all the bells and whistles in a tyre, it does come at a price and with Bridgestone premium tyres you get what you pay for. You have to consider the total cost of the tyre over its life.” Indeed, Bridgestone had a study carried out by Warwick Business School which shows how their sustainable premium tyres can help reduce fuel use and operating costs and these savings can be significant for commercial vehicle fleet owners.

The Bridgestone name is synonymous with Full of the Pipe and they are honoured to partner up with Ireland’s best truck show as an official sponsor again in 2024.

Full of the Pipe Truckshow Ireland returns to Mondello Park over the weekend of July 13th and 14th.