Bridgestone 2013 Annual Report Download - page 10

8Bridgestone Corporation
The Group’s mission in the corporate philosophy of
“Serving Society with Superior Quality” mandates an
unending quest to create higher value-added products to
meet increasingly diverse societal requirements and
market needs worldwide. The Group conducts R&D
activities with the objective of establishing a competitive
business model on a global basis, taking into consideration
the environmental impact of its new product development
and production processes. A key challenge of the Group is
to be “Dan-Totsu” of technology in each business domain
in accordance with the Mid-Term Management Plan (MTP).
The Group conducts technical development in a wide
range of fi elds, such as the development of raw materials,
new products, services, production technologies, and
core technologies for the future. The Group leverages
“vertical expansion” — from the upstream supply of raw
material manufacturing to downstream retail channel and
service network. The Group’s “horizontal expansion” then
deploys an expert base of R&D, production, and sales
globally. The Group deepens “vertical and horizontal
expansions” and strengthens R&D policy in order to
ensure “technology innovation” that integrates raw
materials, merchandise, and service with technology. The
Group’s “business model innovation” extends to different
business domains and offers solutions businesses to
address broader customer needs and perspectives.
Tires
R&D programs in the tire segment are based on the
development philosophy of “peace-of-mind” for everything.
The Group seeks to create tires with high value through
three core elements of technology and product
development: environment, safety, and comfort. Based
on the above-mentioned philosophy, the Group strives to
further reinforce its core eco-friendly product group and
businesses, as well as its strategic product group.
With regard to minimizing environmental impact, the
Group strives to develop eco-friendly tires that fulfi ll three
environmental initiatives of the Group’s Environmental
Mission Statement: “existing in harmony with nature,”
“valuing natural resources,” and “reducing CO2 emissions.”
The Group established a long-term environmental vision
targeting 2050 and beyond in line with these goals.
These initiatives are designed to promote safety and
comfortable mobility in the future and to help achieve a
sustainable society.
Regarding the activity of “existing in harmony with
nature,” the Group is developing a new scientifi c
diagnostic methodology in order to inhibit disease
damage in trees on rubber farms. The Group is engaging
in collaborative efforts with industries and universities to
enable higher and more practical technical diagnosis to
identify diseased trees than traditional visual diagnosis.
Regarding the activity of “valuing natural resources,”
the Group has been making efforts to use “100%
sustainable materials” in its products as the long-term
vision for 2050 and beyond as the tire technology for the
future. The Group will take the following actions as it
works toward this goal: (1) reduce raw material consumption,
(2) recycle resources and use them effi ciently, and
(3) expand and diversify renewable resources. Specifi cally
regarding (3), the Group is accelerating R&D activity for
renewable natural rubber by developing Guayule and
Russian dandelion. The Group started construction of
a processing research laboratory for Guayule in Arizona, U.S.
in 2013. The construction of the laboratory is planned to
Guayule Russian dandelion
Research and Development