Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. Ends Ford
Tire Business in the Americas
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 21, 2001) -
Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. today announced it is terminating its almost
100-year business relationship of supplying tires to the Ford Motor
Company.
"Business relationships, like personal ones, are
built upon trust and mutual respect. We have come to the conclusion
that we can no longer supply tires to Ford since the basic foundation
of our relationship has been seriously eroded," said John T. Lampe,
chairman, CEO and president of Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. "This
is not a decision we make lightly after almost 100 years of history.
But, we must look to the future and the best interests of our company,
our employees and our other customers."
Lampe informed Ford of the decision during an early
morning meeting at Firestone headquarters in Nashville, Tenn. attended
by Carlos Mazzorin, Ford Group Vice President of Global Purchasing,
and in a letter sent to Ford Motor Company CEO Jacques Nasser.
"Our analysis suggests that there is a significant
safety concern with a substantial segment of Ford Explorers. We have
told Ford of our concerns. They have steadfastly refused to acknowledge
those concerns. We have always said that in order to insure the safety
of the driving public, it is crucial that there be a true sharing of
information concerning the vehicle as well as the tires. Ford simply
is not willing to do that," Lampe said. "We believe they are
attempting to divert scrutiny of their vehicle by casting doubt on the
quality of Firestone tires. The tires are safe, and as we have said
before, when we have a problem, we will acknowledge that problem and
fix it. We expect Ford to do the same."
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. will honor the terms of
its existing agreements but will enter into no new tire sales agreements
in the Americas with Ford beginning today. A copy
of the letter(pdf) sent from Mr. Lampe to Mr. Nasser is included
with this release.
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