Bridgestone 2002 Annual Report Download - page 19

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17
Manufacturers of semiconductor devices and
of semiconductor production equipment use
Bridgestone’s PureBeta line of ceramic items
as dummy wafers and also as holders, rings,
heaters and electrodes. The ceramics consist
of ultrapure silicon-carbide and offer long-
life durability. First introduced in 1999,
the PureBeta product line has grown rapidly
into a large and profitable business, and
sales continue to grow.
in new product sectors
Bridgestone’s Japan-based Electro-Materials
operations have grown quietly but steadily
into a large and profitable business. Their
best-established product line consists of rubber-
and-metal rollers and other precision compo-
nents for office equipment. They also manage
Bridgestone’s growing line of business in
functional films and other ventures in high-
technology diversified products.
Bridgestone Sports, another Bridgestone
Group company, continues to enjoy huge
success with its Precept line of golf balls.
The company also markets a successful line
of golf clubs. A popular line of Bridgestone
tennis goods includes rackets, balls and other
items. Production is a global endeavor for the
Bridgestone Group in sporting goods, as well as
in other products. Bridgestone Sports produces
golf balls, for example, at plants in the United
States, Malaysia, China and Japan.
Bicycles are a primary mode of neighborhood
transportation in Japan. And for Japanese,
“Bridgestone” is synonymous with bicycles.
Bridgestone Cycle is the market leader in Japan,
and its retailers are a highly visible presence in
neighborhoods throughout the nation. The com-
pany markets a full line of bicycles for shopping,
commuting and recreation. It manufactures
its bicycles in China and Japan.