Bridgestone Corporation is a key contributor to the smooth running of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, supplying a range of tyres, automotive services, and performance products. As an official worldwide partner, Bridgestone is committed to enhancing the experience of athletes, staff, fans, and visitors throughout the Games.

Bridgestone Tyres Keep the Fleet Moving

As the official tyre supplier, Bridgestone is equipping over 1,000 vehicles in the Paris 2024 fleet provided by Toyota. This includes the new Bridgestone Turanza 6 and Alenza 001 tyres, featuring the company’s advanced ENLITEN technology. ENLITEN optimises performance, durability, and sustainability through cutting-edge materials and design. This focus ensures Bridgestone delivers premium tyres that meet customers’ evolving needs and the future mobility landscape, particularly electric vehicles (EVs).

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are powerful platforms that unite and inspire people worldwide through emotion and performance,” said Laurent Dartoux, Management Board Chair and Group President, Bridgestone Europe Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA). “The objectives of the Olympic and Paralympic movements closely align with Bridgestone’s mission, ‘Serving Society with Superior Quality’, and our vision to create a more sustainable world for future generations. Through our support for Paris 2024, we promote and demonstrate our shared values to our employees, communities, and customers.”

Bridgestone also supplies high-performance motorcycle tyres for over 20 motorcycles supporting road course events, including a prototype Kawasaki hydrogen motorcycle. Additionally, over 36 Bridgestone-owned Speedy and First Stop service centres will be on call during the Games to maintain the fleet and service athletes’ and visitors’ vehicles. These centres will provide tyre checks and related services for the nearly 3,000 cars operating at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speedy will also offer glass repair and replacement services.

Prioritising Road Safety for Paris 2024 Drivers

Bridgestone promotes road safety through an e-learning module for the nearly 4,000 volunteer drivers piloting the Paris 2024 fleet. The training highlights the crucial role tyres play in vehicle safety and performance and offers tyre care tips for maintaining proper inflation and checking tread depth.

“Bridgestone has driven innovation for nearly a century, and we continue to build on that legacy today through advanced tyre technologies and beyond,” added Dartoux. “We are proud to support Paris 2024 athletes and operations with products, services, and solutions where our technological know-how can help. It demonstrates our commitment to more sustainable premium performance because what matters is that we enable all people to perform at their best for generations to come.”

Collaboration for Sustainable and Accessible Transportation

Bridgestone, in addition to supporting the 100 percent electric Toyota fleet, is providing tyre fitments for a significant portion of Toyota’s hydrogen-powered and inclusive mobility offerings. This collaborative effort includes supplying tyres for 500 hydrogen-fueled Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), two hydrogen-powered FCEV buses, and 250 Toyota zero-tailpipe emission electric Accessible People Movers (APMs) that will transport athletes, staff, and fans during the Games. APMs are specifically designed for people with physical disabilities and feature Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 tyres for a comfortable ride and low rolling resistance, maximising fuel efficiency.

Bridgestone is also supplying over 600 bicycles for alternative, non-motorised transportation. Partnering with Decathlon, a French sporting goods manufacturer and Official Partner of Paris 2024, these bicycles will be available across venues and the Olympic and Paralympic Village for athletes, volunteers, and staff for convenient and efficient transportation. After the Games, Bridgestone will partner with the City of Paris to donate approximately 500 bicycles to local community organisations.

High-Performance Sports Equipment for Olympians and Paralympians

Bridgestone’s innovation and premium performance extend beyond tyres, with a presence at the Paris 2024 men’s and women’s golf events. Bridgestone is providing approximately 3,500 high-performance golf balls for use on the practice range, supporting numerous professional golfers using Bridgestone golf balls who have qualified for the Olympic Games.

Bridgestone’s commitment extends to the Paralympic Games, where adaptive athletes from the United States and Japan use Bridgestone rubber and equipment during competitions. Bridgestone engineers have leveraged their tyre and rubber technology expertise to explore applications for various paralympic sports. These innovations include using Bridgestone tyre rubber for gloves, wheelchair hand rims, prosthetic running blades, spike plates, and wheelchair tyres.

Bridgestone’s work with global athletes aims to inspire people of all backgrounds and abilities to overcome challenges and chase their dreams. As Team Bridgestone brand ambassadors, Bridgestone partners with 40 Olympians, Paralympians, and aspiring athletes.

Bridgestone’s support for the Olympic and Paralympic Games aligns with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, which embodies eight core values: energy, ecology, efficiency, extension, economy, emotion, ease, and empowerment. The E8 Commitment guides Bridgestone’s efforts to create a more sustainable world.

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Birla Carbon will present its carbon black solutions at the Global Polymer Summit 2026, scheduled for 28–30 September at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. The company will exhibit at Booth 417, targeting tyre and mechanical rubber goods (MRG) manufacturers seeking higher performance and reduced environmental impact.

The company’s portfolio spans tyre and MRG applications, addressing durability, strength, abrasion resistance and product life across tyres, belts, hoses, sealing systems and anti-vibration products. Birla Carbon will also feature Continua Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM), a circular carbon range with consistent quality and global availability and Continua Sustainable Carbon Black (SCB), produced from recycled or bio-based feedstocks.

Supported by extensive manufacturing, technical expertise and customer-focused teams across the Americas, Birla Carbon provides reliable volumes, responsive service and tailored solutions. Attendees can meet company experts at Booth 417 to explore its product portfolio, technical capabilities and sustainable offerings.

John Davidson, President – Americas & EMEA, Birla Carbon, said, “The tyre and mechanical rubber goods industries are at an important phase, where performance, supply resilience and sustainability must advance together. The next phase of growth will depend on stronger collaboration across the value chain and the ability to translate innovation into scalable, commercially viable solutions. At Birla Carbon, we are combining our manufacturing network, portfolio strength, technical expertise and regional capabilities to help customers navigate this transition and build more resilient and sustainable businesses.”

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Michelin has unveiled the X Multi Energy D2 tyre, developed to address the specific challenges of regional haul operations. Fleets in this segment face demanding roads, frequent stop-and-start cycles and escalating fuel expenses that affect both performance and profitability. By blending durability, fuel savings and Michelin’s established performance standards, the new tyre aims to boost fleet productivity while reducing overall operating costs.

The tyre features a revised tread pattern and a new tread compound to better resist tread damage caused by high-torque vehicles and stop-and-go regional driving. It is constructed on Michelin’s Duracore casing, which integrates Infinicoil and Powercoil technologies and benefits from a reinforced bead design known as Duracoil Technology. This casing is engineered to last up to one million miles and support as many as four retreads.

In the effort to curb fuel expenses, the X Multi Energy D2 improves rolling resistance by 9 percent over its predecessor, the Michelin X Multi Energy D tyre, and by 18 percent compared with leading competitors. It also enhances late-life traction, offering 10 percent better wet handling and 16 percent better snow starting traction when worn, giving drivers and operations managers greater confidence on varying roads.

For original equipment manufacturers, the tyre meets Greenhouse Gas standards and supports applicable vehicle carbon-reduction requirements. Designed for regional applications where traction, durability and fuel efficiency matter, it is available in 295/75R22.5 LRG and 11R22.5 LRG and LRH sizes, replacing the X Multi Energy D tyre in those sizes.

Yahn Heurlin, VP of B2B Marketing, Michelin North America, Inc., said, “Michelin is driven by a deep commitment to understanding the needs and challenges customers face every day. This customer-first mindset inspires the development of purpose-built solutions designed to address real-world pain points and help fleets operate more efficiently.”

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Firestone, a Bridgestone Americas subsidiary, has unveiled the Destination LE4 highway touring tyre as the successor to its best-selling Destination LE3. The new model features a deeper tread depth, an advanced compound and a non-directional tread pattern, delivering longer wear life along with improved wet and light snow performance for year-round driving confidence.

Backed by a 70,000-mile limited warranty, the Destination LE4 is projected in external testing to wear 16 percent longer than its predecessor, 9 percent longer than the General Grabber H/T and 43 percent longer than the BFGoodrich Advantage Control HT. Thinner 3D sipes enhance traction and handling, while internal testing showed wet stopping distances reduced by 8 feet versus the Toyo Open Country H/T II and 4 feet versus the BFGoodrich Advantage Ctrl HT, with dry stopping improved by 8 feet and 2 feet, respectively, plus a 2-foot dry gain over the LE3.

Sustainability gains come through wear-resistance technology, optimised material usage that lowers raw material consumption and enhanced traction technology. Two technical firsts originated at the Bridgestone Americas Technology Center in Akron, Ohio: a high-strength, lightweight carcass architecture using light body plies and steel cords for durability and low rolling resistance despite deeper tread, and advanced compound mixing that improves ingredient consistency for tread wear, handling and wet grip.

Available in 65 sizes for 15- to 22-inch rims, the Destination LE4 covers small CUVs, SUVs, pickups and larger trucks, including the Mazda CX-5, Ford F-150, RAM 1500, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Nissan Armada.

Jeremy Norwood, Chief Engineer, New Product Engineering, Bridgestone Americas, said, “Drivers loved the Firestone Destination LE3 for its comfortable, quiet ride and all-season reliability. With the new Destination LE4, we enhanced those strengths by extending wear life and improving wet-weather handling, delivering dependable performance, confident control and everyday value.”

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced that Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd. (YTRC), its Thai subsidiary focused on natural rubber processing, earned the Outstanding Provincial-Level CSR Organization Award. The honour formed part of the ‘CSR Award 2026’ initiative run by Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the presentation took place on 22 August 2026.

Built around the idea of ‘CSR Partnerships for Sustainable Thailand’, the award programme highlights organisations demonstrating exemplary corporate social responsibility at provincial or metropolitan level throughout the country’s 76 provinces and Bangkok. A total of 92 recipients – among them YTRC, other firms and bodies chosen nationwide and provincial CSR centres – convened at IMPACT Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi Province to collect commemorative plaques.

Governor Jumpot Wannachatsiri (left) presents flowers to YTRC Managing Director Noboru Takita (centre) and Department Manager Supachai Choosuwan at the Surat Thani Provincial Council.

YTRC, established in Surat Thani Province in 2008, has long pursued environmental preservation and dependable ties with nearby communities. Working with the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), it surveys natural rubber plantations and supplies management assistance to farmers, supporting sustainable procurement of the material. The company further backs agroforestry practices that give rubber farmers steadier incomes while partnering with the Surat Thani Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security on efforts to nurture constructive community relations.

The recognition reflects YTRC’s continuous community-oriented CSR work and its notable local impact. A special event on 31 August saw the Surat Thani Provincial Council once more acknowledge those contributions, with the governor presenting a celebratory bouquet. Separately, the CSR Center of Surat Thani Province ranked among only nine centres nationwide to win the Outstanding Provincial CSR Promotion Center Award.

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