Bridgestone starts move to drop Firestone name

Akron-based Firestone name will disappear in January in many places, but the tire brand will live on as part of a major corporate restructuring for Bridgestone Group's North and South American subsidiaries.

The tire maker on Tuesday said it is removing the Firestone name from many of its subsidiaries effective Jan. 1 to better reflect them as members of Bridgestone Group and to simplify things for the public.

Press Release
Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. will be known as Bridgestone Americas Inc. starting on Jan. 1. At the same time, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC's name will change to Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC. Also on Jan. 1, BFS Retail & Commercial Operations LLC's name will change to Bridgestone Retail Operations LLC.

In other name changes:

* Bridgestone Firestone Latin American Tire Operations will be known as the Latin American Tire division, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations.

* Bridgestone Firestone Canada Inc. will be known as Bridgestone Canada Inc.

* Bridgestone Firestone de Mexico S.A. de C.V. will be known as Bridgestone de Mexico S.A. de C.V.

* BFS Diversified Products, which does business as Bridgestone Firestone Diversified Products, will be known as Firestone Diversified Products LLC.

The name changes "will clearly define Bridgestone Americas and its subsidiaries as members of the global Bridgestone Group," says Mark Emkes, chairman and CEO of Bridgestone Americas Holding.

"Through this effort, we will provide Firestone with its own identity as a historic product and service brand, and we will take a long step forward toward eliminating confusion as to our overall corporate identity."