NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The big breakthroughs and more sustainable innovations leading Bridgestone Americas Inc. into a new era have earned the tire maker some more recognition.
Bridgestone was named among Fast Company magazine's most innovative companies for the automotive sector, taking third place in the category that also honored Ascend Elements, Mercedes-Benz, May Mobility and Blackberry.
The company's Enliten suite of more sustainable technologies was a driver in recognition. The magazine pointed to last year's rollouts of the Turanza EV and the Potenza Sport A/S as proof. Both tires lean into the company's PeakLife Polymer technology to extend range, enhance overall performance and increase tread life. All are characteristics needed as EVs take root.
"As Fast Company wrote, 'Bridgestone is reinventing its formula for the electric age,' which speaks directly to our transformation into a world-leading sustainability company," Paolo Ferrari, Bridgestone Americas President and CEO, said in a statement. "…Bridgestone has dedicated fully 25 percent of its global R&D budget to the advancement of EV tires as we seek to increase the appeal of EVs for a broader swath of the car-buying public."
The publication also listed Bridgestone's guayule innovation, investments and cultivation as a major reason for the recognition. Two years ago, Bridgestone proved its guayule expertise by incorporating the alternative NR into the sidewalls of its Firestone Firehawk race tires.
"Today, guayule is proving out its capabilities on road courses in the NTT IndyCar series, and we aim to make it commercially viable for on-road applications by the end of the decade," Ferrari said.
Last year the tire maker took its sustainable racing further using SR made with bio-butadiene in the race tires.