Bridgestone 2008 Annual Report Download - page 27

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we concluded a joint venture agreement with Sundaram Industries Ltd., of India, bolstering
our operational foundation in that market, where automotive demand is increasing.
Sundaram Industries is a member of the TVS Group, a prominent business group in India,
and is a leader in antivibration rubber for automobiles in that market, where it has a strong
presence. With production and sales sites in Japan, the United States, China, and Thailand,
Bridgestone supplies antivibration rubber to automakers with global operations. We believe
the joint venture will facilitate the production and sale of high-quality products boasting
technical superiority at competitive costs in the expanding Indian market, and will also serve
to strengthen our global supply chain.
Conveyor belts are another business area identied for “concentration,” and we plan to
expand production capacity at our Yokohama Plant for steel cord conveyor belts used in
such businesses as mining. We plan to begin production under the project in 2011 with
a gradual increase in production volume. Steel cord conveyor belts are generally used to
transport minerals at mines and ports. Bridgestone expects mineral demand to remain
rm, especially overseas. Accordingly, we will work to supply high-quality products that can
withstand severe usage conditions while promoting a user-centered marketing approach
by offering on-site maintenance and guidance on product use and management.
In these types of “concentration” businesses, we expect steady growth and prots, and
accordingly we plan aggressive capital investment to support that growth.
CSR SYSTEM
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an area where the Bridgestone Group is committed
to always aiming for a higher level of achievement. CSR activities are a vital part of
reinforcing our capabilities as a company, and enhancing our CSR initiatives is an important
management issue in regard to the realization of our corporate philosophy. Under MTP2007,
we identied 22 specic themes and established a system to enhance the level of group-
wide responses to CSR initiatives. Under MTP2008, we have identied the divisions
responsible for each theme, and moving forward we will formulate specic plans for further
group-wide implementation. The rst SBUs with this responsibility will be the Japan Tire
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