Our People

Marco Arone, Tyre Engineer of Original Equipment Passenger Tyres, at Bridgestone Technical Centre Europe in Rome.

Could you tell us what you do at Bridgestone?

On the first day my old boss told me a nice metaphor which perfectly clarifies our work at O.E. group: “like the tailor models a perfect suit for each customer, we make a specific tyre for each car”. In other words we design and develop dedicated tyres directly for the car manufacturers; in fact our tyres are named original or first equipment because they are engineered for that specific car and fitted under it during its assembling in the production line. Often we support the car manufacturer to tune the chassis/suspension systems on their prototypes

What is your background?

Before Bridgestone I worked for a car manufacturer’s technical department as a technical consultant and field engineer. Before this experience and after obtaining the mechanics engineering degree with full marks and honours I collaborated with the Mechanics Department of Faculty of Engineering inPalermo; during this period I published an article for an International Scientific Journal.

Why were you interested in Bridgestone?

Of course I first knew Bridgestone from its involvement in racing, and I was interested in this brand. Furthermore Bridgestone is one of the biggest and most important tyres manufactured in the world. It’s also very interesting to work for a big multinational company, there is a stimulating environment and there are good career prospects too. Last but not least I like so much to work here in the Technical Centre because I can apply my engineering studies and knowledge, and I am proud that I can do this.

Is it challenging work?

I work with German car manufacturers that require very high standards for the ultra high performance tires that will equip their car; to achieve their performance’s requests is very challenging and motivating. When we first start a development and we look at the targets we think it would be very difficult to reach them. But when at the end we manage to do it and, sometimes even exceed the target, we are very proud of our achievement.

What specifically do you like about your role?

I especially love the fact that we are involved in the whole development lifecycle of the tyre, from theory to track with the driver!!

The car manufacturer asks us to develop a completely new tyre for a new car which will be into the market in the near future. So we start with feasibility study of this specific tyre with the required performance; after that we design the mould and select the most suitable construction/compounds for this tyre. We follow the tyre prototype building in our pilot plant and afterwards we test tyres on the indoor labs and outdoor tracks. Usually we sit on the passenger seat during the ride and handling test on track and the driver explains us the tyre behaviour and his feeling. In this way we are able to get the necessary feedback to make any changes and improve the performance of our tire to achieve the OEM requirements.

At the end we carry out a joint test with the car manufacturer in order to present our “product”. Bridgestone has its driver and engineer, as our customers do. In this way we jointly assess the performance and we decide whether they are compliant with targets or if we need to go to the next stages of development. It takes a lot of team work to get it right.

What’s it like to work at TCE?

Everyday around me I see the growth of the Technical Centre, in terms of new hired engineers and technicians, new machineries, new buildings and labs, new tracks and also organization, everything aimed to improve constantly our job and performance. This is a way of working that I find really very stimulating and satisfying.

Another very interesting side of TCE is the close cooperation with the Japanese and American Technical centres. We have many contacts between the three centres, so we exchange many information and studies all the time. Daily I feel the possibility to reach a higher knowledge level and to learn more and more. It’s really uplifting to be here. The Japanese influence in our work is present of course. In my opinion this is a positive factor as we get used to view things in a different way and to approach our work with a different method. It’s important to have an open mind if we want to grow more and more.

The working environment is really professional and friendly. Everybody is always available to support each other. In addition we also have a good relationship with colleagues not only during the working time but also outside the office. So it’s enjoyable from a social point of view as well.

What do you value at Bridgestone?

I like so much Bridgestone is focussed on safety – this is very important in my opinion. In particular I design run flat tire that allows continuing to drive the car also with a punctured tire. I always handle the tyres and think how can improve them, but our number one priority is safety. First we make sure that a tyre is safe and then we look at how to improve other performances. I think this is very important for anybody to be sure to be safe and in particular for people who drive Bridgestone tyres under their own car.

Brigitte Bestgen, Manager Management Development

How long have you been at Bridgestone and where were you before?

I joined over 2 years ago. Previously I worked with Levis Strauss Europe , in the learning and development team. Initially I trained as a translator, and I had worked as a translator in the Nissan engineering office.

What were your first impressions when you joined Bridgestone?

A really professional environment, where there’s respect for superior quality and excellence in what we do. Having joined from aUS company I quickly noticed the difference in focus. Here the focus is more  long term rather than short term. Sometimes it means taking sufficient time to make the right decisions and making sure everything we do is to the highest quality. Speed is important – but is not everything!

What is the main purpose of your job?

I provide comprehensive learning and development solutions so that managers can achieve their business goals, covering areas such as orientation, role definition, and managing performance. An important element of my role is to support our culture as embodied in our corporate philosophy The Bridgestone Way. I do this through developing people management skills among managers, helping managers to earn the trust of their teams and engage their staff


What changes have you seen over the last 2 years?

We are introducing pan-European structures and processes. For me this means developing a network of development managers and making sure that we are aligned and building the mindsets and behaviours we need to manage our business effectively. It’s exciting because I am involved in how the company develops over the next 5 years and beyond.

How does the Bridgestone Way help?

By shaping us as an organisation. We are running workshops for employees on the Bridgestone Way to examine what this means in detail. It’s important to involve our people in discussing the Bridgestone Way so that we can all interpret what it means to ourselves in our roles. It is not a rule book to follow but a guide that we can all use to help us succeed in Bridgestone. It’s a way of opening up to different ways of thinking and creating a stronger sense of team by speaking the same language. It underpins our success and guides us when we need direction.

What challenges do you face?

The challenge is to align the different cultures and languages, and move towards a more global way of working. Of course we focus on optimising output – we are manufacturers after all - but we also need to ensure we are thinking big-picture and looking at the wider challenges. One of my key projects is working on Talent management in order to ensure that we have a pool of talent with the capabilities need for the future at a pan-European and global level.

What do you appreciate about your role?

I have a lot of autonomy in my role, so I feel I can shape my position, and that I can really contribute. I feel that I am respected for the expertise I have. I also really appreciate the long term view here

What is it like to work in a Japanese company in Europe?

How the different cultures work together is fascinating. The combination of Japanese and European thinking adds an extra dimension to how we work and develop solutions – and the solutions are much stronger because of it.  It takes time to become familiar with but it’s a rich and interesting experience that is a real strength for the business.

Gerald Duby, OE, Sales Planning and Operations Team, Assistant Manager.

Explain to us a little about your background and role.

I joined Bridgestone in 2002 having worked for an in international IT services provider inBelgium and for the Belgium national airport operator.

Currently I am Assistant Manager for the OE, Sales Planning and Operations Team. OE department is spread across five key European markets, with the management team based in Brussels . We are responsible for providing broad support to those in the field who are in charge of sales. This means budgeting, long-term planning, pricing, order and supply as well as new product development. We are the interface between the field and other key departments and the technical centres.

What elements of your work do you find most rewarding?

I am in charge of support for future products, so in a way I am directly involved in the development of those new products. This is quite exciting, as we are working on cars that may not be on the market before 6 months to 4 years.

I also like the international element of my work. I work with Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the UK – and of course Japan – so the people I talk to everyday are based all over the world. We’re very close to the action  and we deal with the real challenges of production. And, of course, being in the automotive industry is great. It’s a very competitive sector where quality truly differentiates the leading companies from all the others and Bridgestone’s focus on quality is second to none.  

How do you think Bridgestone has changed since you’ve been working there?

Well, I joined Bridgestone 5 years ago and already the company has changed a lot. We are growing all the time – and it doesn’t stop! This is really clear in our European operations – more people are joining the team and significant investments are being made across Europe; plants are being opened and there is also a new proving ground in Rome . All this makes Bridgestone an exciting place to be. You can really feel the whole company growing – and the investments we are making are really impressive.

What about for your area?

In my department, in terms of the way we work, we have become more and more focused, and we have fine-tuned our approach in order to improve our customer portfolio and product mix. This sometimes leads to tough decisions being made in this very demanding environment.  But there is an excitement in starting businesses with totally new customers. Previously we were active with about 80% of car makers – and now we are making real progress with the other 20%. It’s quite an achievement.

Does this achievement make a difference for you?

Well I’m happy we can get new fitments on new vehicles  it builds pride in our company and our products. The more I see our products the better I feel and this is probably the same for everyone here. I look at the tyres on cars in the street and when I recognise the brand and model of the car – and then see the Bridgestone tyres – I think of all the hard work that has gone into getting those tyres on that car; from the first contacts, to the technical development in Rome or Japan, and testing, the sales contracts and finally the production. It’s a long and precise process.  And when I see the results I feel really satisfied. This is where pride comes: to see the product on the street.

So what is it like being Belgian and working in Brussels for a Japanese company?

Actually the international culture here makes a real difference. I talk to more people in Europe and in Japan than in Belgium . For me, it’s amazing how many people working here are ‘internationals’, for example the newest member of our team is Turkish. It’s always interesting to work with people from different cultures. The Japanese culture here is pretty strong too. It’s a strong and special culture, which I get along quite well with.

Do you think this multi-cultural environment has influenced you?

You get to learn about yourself and also about different approaches to issues. I have clearly learned in my time here. Everyone has a different approach, and working with this has helped me grow personally. By this I don’t just mean making friends in different countries, I mean developing new skills. Different people have different priorities and skills, so we get to exchange these.

Karol Wawrzynowski, Finance and Accounting Manager, Bridgestone Poznan

Tell us about your role.

I have been with Bridgestone Poznan for seven years now, and I am responsible for all the financial issues at the factory. This includes cost control, cash control, taxation and legal compliance, dealing with the authorities plus the local treasury and so on. My role also involves managing all the financial reporting, as well as the balance sheets. And of course I manage my team! It’s a truly cross functional role and I have input in almost every issue in the plant

Is this something typical for people in your role?

No, I don’t think so. Typically finance managers are only involved in the finance side. But in Bridgestone we are also members of a Bridgestone team, where we all have the same goal of serving the customer. This is something I really like about Bridgestone. One time, for example, I was showing some finance officials around the plant, and they were amazed at my knowledge of the manufacturing process. I am not an expert, but I have a good understanding. And this helps build trust in us as a company with our partners. It builds a confidence, which is really valuable. Bridgestone pays a lot of attention to making sure we all understand what we do, how we work and why our individual jobs are important to the whole.

Do you find any specific challenges at the moment?

Yes there is one coming up that will be very interesting for all of us.Japan is introducing its own version of the American Sarbanes Oxley regulations. We will have to comply with our new regulations of course, and it is my role as local coordinator to make sure we do.

How does it work being part of a broader network?

Well first of all I am a member of the European Financial Team. The plant at Poznan is only 7 years old, the youngest in Europe, so particularly in the beginning I had a lot of support from my colleagues. We are also going through a process of standardisation – you need to be able to compare an apple with an apple – so we are working a lot across different countries. There is a really nice bunch of people here, and I have always had the help, support and knowledge sharing I need.

Have you seen big changes at Poznan plant in your seven years there?

Our factory was established in 1998, and by 2001 we had finished our initial development stage and we were producing 10,000 tyres per day. In the next period, from 2002 – 2006 we were producing up to 23,000 per day. So this was an immense increase in productivity. And now we are establishing a new factory for truck and bus tyres in Stargard Szczecinski, north-west Poland. So I am of course providing as much support as I can there, with recruitment and knowledge sharing.

What are your thoughts on the combination of the Japanese and the Polish cultures?

Bridgestone is very customer focused, even from a plant perspective, which we appreciate here. In my opinion trust and pride here are crucial. Of course you need to remember that pride is not unconditional – the product or service that we deliver must really give us a reason to be proud. One of the best things we can do is to take the best from the Japanese culture, and the best from the local culture, and mix them together to get the optimal output.

Martina Gruarin, Passenger and CVR Compounding Development, TCE Rome

Explain a little about your role

I am a material engineer and I specifically work in carcass compound development area.

Most of my job is related to laboratory study. In practice I study material effect on compound properties. My job is a ‘complete’ job, because I analyse both the chemical and the physical aspects of the rubber. I need to use my brain but sometimes I need to use my hands to do the ‘dirty job’ like mixing rubber or cutting tyres.

Occasionally we travel to production plants to follow up our baby (our compounds).

What was your route to Bridgestone?

I took a degree in material engineering in Milan , and I specialised in Polymers. That’s why I was interested in Bridgestone. After my degree, I applied to Bridgestone, and have been working here since March 2004.

What is the working environment like?

Each engineer has precise development responsibility, but through periodical meeting we share knowledge (good growing).  We also help each other, so I really appreciate the feeling of teamwork here. There’s a nice atmosphere here, I really look forward to coming to work, because I have really good friends here, not only colleagues. Plus we do really dynamic work, with new challenges everyday, so it is really an interesting environment for an engineer.

What kinds of innovations are underway?

Market requires always innovation. Because of this several new projects are on going.

Rémy Godart, Industrial Engineer, Bridgestone France

Tell us a little about how you joined Bridgestone.

My first experience of Bridgestone was through an 8 week training course as a direct production operator and maintenance technician as part of my technician qualification course in 1997. Then while I was studying for my engineering degree at Lille, I studied 3 months, and then worked at Bridgestone for 3 months, over a period of 3 years. So I really learned ‘on the job’ as well as in the classroom. After graduating I was then hired in 2001 as an Industrial Engineer in the Bethune plant.

Can you explain a little about your role?

My main purpose as an Industrial Engineer is to create a ‘positive momentum’ to involve all employees, especially the floor workers, to improve our operations across all factors like Safety, Quality and Productivity in the plant.

You’ve been with Bridgestone for almost 10 year now. What changes have you seen in the way you work?

I think the biggest change for us has been the implementation of automated systems. Before, 30 – 40% of our job was collecting and analysing data. But because of the automation we have more time to work directly on the actions – so now we are more efficient too.

How does the kaizen culture make a difference to the way you and your teams work and Bridgestone’s products?

The Kaizen culture for us basically means that all areas of the plant need to work together in order to improve the three ‘Ms”: Manpower, Machine and Method. Kaizen is a process that, when implemented correctly, really optimizes the workplace and the flow. This in turn eliminates overly hard work (for example with operators’ working conditions), and importantly teaches people how to learn to eliminate waste in business processes.

Thanks to this Kaizen culture we have at Bridgestone, we not only work to produce the “best” tyres possible, but we also strive to find and implement the best processes to achieve this. So we work towards the best safety conditions, working conditions, quality and so on.

What aspects do you enjoy most?

Personally speaking, I find it good to be involved in the budget preparation with top management, so I have a big overview of the activities. And then I can also work directly with employing the practical solutions on the floor. So it’s the combination of working in a suit, with presentations and so on, and also working directly on the floor and making a difference ‘hands on’.

Are there any particular projects you are working on?

II am working on a really interesting project aimed at improving the efficiency of the workers. The workers are encouraged to observe and critically analyse the manufacturing process. They then need to make a presentation to the plant management with their suggestions. If approved we implement them within our plant, and then share them with other European plants to exchange knowledge and methods. And the next step is to share them withJapan. Japan started this project about four years ago, and we started just about one year ago – so we have a long way to go! But it’s a continuous project, focussed on improvement.  I am the leader of this project for all of the operations for the plant. We focus on one area of the plant and then move to the next. We learn how to improve ourselves first, then pass on this knowledge and learn from other people as well. We involve all the operators in the process as soon as we can, and they really enjoy this process – it helps us to build our team spirit too.

What do you like about working for an international company?

I find it interesting that we’re a global company, and I like the big connection between the European and Japanese companies. One of the advantages is the possibility to discover other projects, to work in new areas, and to see other faces in the company from different countries. It’s great working with a high-tech product too! We get to implement new technology in a high-tech context, which is really satisfying.

Rodolphe Hamelin, European demand and Inventory Manager

How did you come Bridgestone?

I actually started as a consultant with Bridgestone in 2003 when I was with the consulting firm Capgemini. Prior to Capgemini I was a consultant with Baan starting in 1998. I was offered an opportunity to join the Bridgestone team on a full time basis and I joined the team in January 2006

What is your role now?

In inventory deployment, we determine what will be shipped from which factory to which distribution centre. We have 32 distribution centres in Europe, so it’s quite a big job! We work based on customer demands and inventory strategies, and decide on the right allocations for each market. I also define the European Inventory Policies (targets), in terms of balancing our desired service levels against cost. Lastly, we are the interface between sales and marketing, and production. Based on the sales forecast, we work out how much inventory has to be produced in Europe and ordered from Japan.

Even in the short time I have been with Bridgestone I have seen Bridgestone grow and this is reflected in the number of exciting projects being implemented. It gives us a great feeling that we are really designing Bridgestone’s future. Yes, Bridgestone is the global number one but because we are relatively small in Europe, we have impressive plans for the future. There’s a lot going on.

Can you explain further about developments in the business?

We are very focussed on increasing centralisation of our organisation. Our growth means there are significant opportunities to benefit from managing operations from a pan-European perspective. Common processes and greater centralisation will increase our efficiency and our ability to serve our customers, and job interest. For us in the Logistics & Supply Chain Management department, it means that we nearly all have international roles. And we have plenty of new projects! For example we are implementing new software to help manage shipments.

What challenges does this pose for you?

Keeping focussed on the right priorities for the business. One of the main challenges that we face is that we are growing so fast that we need to stay focussed on the right priorities, because we can’t look at everything at once.

How do you find Bridgestone as a place to work?

I like it and I am proud of what we do. Of course it’s a lot of hard work here but I feel that we are really working towards something worthwhile. One of the particularly nice things about our European headquarters is that we are so international, with more than 20 nationalities. The environment is always challenging, and because we are growing we are defining what we are doing – not simply following past processes. On top of this I also like the breadth of contact that I have, across departments and across cultures.

Xylina Chai, Manager, Truck and Bus Marketing Development

Tell me about your role and how you came to Bridgestone.

I am Malaysian of Chinese origin and hold a diploma in business administration fromSingapore. I moved to Belgium for personal reasons, and joined Bridgestone 10 years ago in the sales administration department.

Today I work in the truck and bus marketing department. My primary focus is to develop the Truck Point programme, which is a pan-European service and sales network made up of 2000 independent truck tyre dealers able to provide quality service and support to Bridgestone fleets. When I joined it was my role to revitalise the programme which runs in 25 countries today. It was challenging working with different cultures, languages, and work styles. You have to treat each market in a different way and really understand their requirements and needs. When I first joined the team I thought my language skills might be a handicap but despite this I was able to grow and develop

What were your first impressions?

While we are the global leader in the sector, we are relatively new to the European market compared to the other majors. This makes Europe an important growth area for us and means that we must both face the challenges associated with growth and also take advantage of the opportunities that growth poses. You can feel the positive vibe; the size of the team is growing, people are growing – there are opportunities. We have moved office three times since I joined Bridgestone. We’ve grown so fast! I remember when I joined that there was a Japanese culture and a European culture. Since them it has evolved into a Bridgestone Europe culture that really benefits from the cultural diversity we have here.

Which values do you think come across everyday?

You always feel the emphasis on quality here, and trust. In fact Bridgestone is what it is because of Quality. I believe it distinguishes us from other companies. When you have a task to complete you get the independence and trust to do it. So you want to do well.

We work closely with our sales companies on a daily basis, collaborating with them to develop solution to achieve common goals. It’s our shared sense of pride and quality helps us to work together as one team across the different countries.

What else do you enjoy about your work?

Personally I like meeting people, travelling with my job, and understanding different cultures and the challenges that these differences can pose. Each market I work with is unique, so there is lots of variety.

I also enjoy being proud of our products and the way we do things – it’s the basis for our success and helps to drive our sales initiatives.

For me it is also important to enjoy working with others in the team. Here at headquarters we have more than 20 nationalities, and people are friendly and helpful. Working in a business that’s has long term growth goals makes a difference too. There’s much to look forward to and a real sense of purpose.

Soledad Penazola, Financial Analyst

Tell us about your background.

I am originally from Ecuador, and studied for my MBA in Lausanne in international management which included a one year project in the USA.  After this I moved to Zurich, and worked for a US car manufacturer headquarters in pricing and profitability. Since then I moved to Belgium for personal reasons and have been here now for three years – all of which with Bridgestone in the finance team. Bridgestone was a natural choice for me because I like the automotive sector and  my past experience. It’s a dynamic and competitive industry, and I like cars!

What were your first impressions when you joined Bridgestone?

The first impression I had was the diversity here. There are people from everywhere; Japan, Turkey, Africa as well as Europe. It makes it really interesting because you’re not a foreigner either, and English is the corporate language. I knew it was a Japanese company but I was not expecting that much diversity in terms of nationalities.

What values do you see at Bridgestone?

I like the fact that once you have demonstrated that you can do the work , you are trusted to complete your projects and take on additional responsibilities. It’s really up to you.

Describe what you enjoy about working here.

Definitely the learning opportunities you have in the job. In terms of career development, what you are exposed to is amazing. Bridgestone is changing so much, because we are centralising a lot of the activities. So you have to learn as it happens : new business, new structures, strategy and projects. We are opening new plants in Eastern Europe , and we are also integrating the supply chain.

How has your role evolved?

Since joining the finance team I have had much variety in my role. Currently I am focussing on finance manufacturing support, in particular to new plants and projects, for example our new state of the art plant being built in Hungary. But I have also been involved in treasury, group reporting, and sales company support. It’s varied and interesting and I get a real sense of achievement at the end of the day. There is a great deal of cross-departmental work, and it gives me the opportunity to learn a bit about everything!

The potential to learn on a daily basis is a highlight for me, and that we can share different cultures, different ways of thinking and working. It’s a challenge I like. I am always busy, there is always something going on – and I definitely like this.