Bridgestone 2004 Annual Report Download - page 10

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8
Bridgestone Annual Report 2004
Epitomizing our leadership in tire technology is our successful line of runflat tires. Our sidewall-
reinforcement runflat technology, which accommodates conventional wheels, is becoming a de facto
standard for the industry, and we had shipped 1.7 million runflat tires by the end of 2004.
Automakers have adopted our runflat tires as factory equipment on more than 10 models since
1999. Ferrari’s 612 Scaglietti became the latest in June 2004. BMW has been especially active in
equipping new models with our runflat tires. It has adopted our runflats as standard or optional
equipment on six model families, including the new 6 Series.
All of the runflats that we supply employ our original Self Supporting Runflat (SSR) technology.
While continuing to refine that technology, we are developing runflats based on the Support Ring
technology that we obtained from Continental AG in a cross-licensing agreement. Support Ring
runflats can carry more weight than SSR tires, and we hope to win fitments for them on sport-utility
vehicles and large passenger cars.
From the standpoint of tires, jet airliners are the airborne equivalent of big earthmoving equipment.
Both applications involve supporting immense loads under demanding conditions. We are a leading
supplier of tires for earthmoving equipment, and we are also a market leader in aircraft tires.
In autumn 2004, we contracted to supply tires for Boeing Company’s new 787 Dreamliner family
of airliners. Boeing is moving to put the Dreamliner into commercial service in 2008, and we will
begin delivering Dreamliner tires in 2007. We are the only company Boeing has contracted to supply
Dreamliner tires as standard equipment. Boeing also equips other aircraft with Bridgestone tires.
Securing sound returns on our global capital spending program will depend on continuing
success in developing innovative new products. Technologies and products announced in
the past year underline our three-way commitment to improving tire safety and performance
by (1) refining tire-specific technologies, (2) developing tires in conjunction with vehicle
systems, and (3) developing tires in conjunction with production systems.
Aircraft tires
Runflat tires
Technological capabilities are
essential to our competitiveness
as a manufacturer, and reinforc-
ing those capabilities remains a
high priority for us in allocating
resources. Our expenditures on
research and development in
2004 totaled ¥72.9 billion ($700
million).
Our Growth Scenario
Developing