Bridgestone India’s brand ambassadors and members of the Indian Olympic contingent – Mary Kom, PV Sindhu and Udayan Mane – wished their co-team members the very best in the forthcoming Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The brand ambassadors were joined by Bridgestone India’s Managing Director, Parag Satpute in wishing the Indian contingent success and laurels in Tokyo.

Bridgestone has been strongly associated with the world of the Olympics through strategic partnerships and collaborations in the past. The upcoming Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 hold a special significance for the company, as they are set to take place in Japan, the home of their global headquarters and the country where the tyre manufacturer was founded 90 years ago.

Parag Satpute, Managing Director, Bridgestone India, said, “We are truly honoured to be associated with our brand ambassadors and it is a matter of pride that Mary Kom will be one of the Indian flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. We believe that harbouring a strong culture of sports and investing in our people will contribute towards the creation of better individuals leading to a holistically developed society.”

Mary Kom said, “My journey with Bridgestone has been eventful and a memorable one. Through my journey, I want to communicate to all my fellow athletes ready to represent India that sports are not for the faint-hearted, especially boxing as a female athlete. The journey is never short of roadblocks. Bridgestone is a brand known for its strength and endurance, and it has risen to the cause of encouraging every upcoming athlete’s sportsman spirit and it resonates deeply with me.”

P V Sindhu said, “As Bridgestone India’s first brand ambassador, I feel thrilled and responsible to talk about my journey and all the tough lessons that have led up to achieving success in the international arena. I would want more Indians to step up to this challenge, and via this platform, I am honoured to be associated with Bridgestone India to spread this message of determination and perseverance. Bridgestone has a strong sports lineage which is further strengthened with their Worldwide Olympic Partnership and we want more Indian athletes to conquer the global Olympic stage.” (TT)

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Bridgestone has announced executive leadership changes for its West region (Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), effective 1 May 2026. Scott Damon continues as West CEO, Robert Johnson has been appointed Group President of North America and Wade Sempkowski succeeds Johnson as West Chief Financial Officer.

The company is decoupling the roles of West CEO and Group President of North America to provide clearer scope and focus for its business goals. In his new position, Johnson will assume leadership of North America Core Tire and hold end-to-end ownership and accountability for the full North America profit and loss.

Johnson joined Bridgestone in 2016 as Executive Director of Finance for Bridgestone Retail Operations and later became Vice President of Finance for the Americas Tire Group and Vice President of Stores for Bridgestone Retail Operations. He was named West CFO in May 2024. Before Bridgestone, he held senior finance and operations roles at Advance Auto Parts, Best Buy and Lifepoint Health, earning a finance degree from Belmont University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

Wade Sempkowski

Sempkowski started at Bridgestone Americas in 2019 as Director of FP&A, later becoming Vice President of Finance in 2022 while also serving on the TireHub Board of Directors. His prior experience includes sales analytics and finance roles at Mars Petcare and Southern Land Company, and he holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

Scott Damon, Bridgestone West CEO, said, “Robert and Wade are experienced leaders with a strong understanding of our business, our customers and the priorities ahead. Robert brings a powerful combination of financial, operational and customer-facing leadership to the North America region, and Wade brings deep finance expertise to the West CFO role.”

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Japanese tyre and rubber major Yokohama Rubber Co, has announced plans to construct two new manufacturing facilities for mining and construction machinery tyres in India and Mexico.

These plants will facilitate the transfer of off-the-road (OTR) tyre production acquired from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in February 2025. The company also intends to install equipment at these sites to increase production capacity for ultra-large OTR tyres.

Yokohama Rubber will build a greenfield plant in Odisha, India, representing a capital investment of USD130 million. The facility is designed for an annual production capacity of 9,150 tonnes. Construction is set to commence in Q3 of CY2026, with production expected to start by Q3 of CY2028. This site will assume production currently outsourced to Goodyear facilities in Europe and the United States.

A new brownfield plant will be established in Mexico as a Phase 2 expansion of an existing passenger car tyre plant site. This facility will require a capital expenditure of USD 115 million and will have an annual capacity of 10,650 tonnes. Construction is scheduled for Q3 of CY2026, and production is planned to begin in Q2 of CY2028.

The company is also transferring OTR tyre production from Goodyear plants to a site in Romania acquired in May 2025, as well as to existing factories in Japan, the Czech Republic, and India.

These investments are central to the ‘Yokohama Transformation 2026’ (YX2026) management plan, which aims for significant growth through strategic acquisitions and production network enhancements. By expanding its capacity across all off-highway tyre (OHT) categories, Yokohama Rubber seeks to improve its global market position and corporate value.

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CAMSO Construction has announced the appointment of Andreas Lüllau as Area Sales Manager for the DACH region. His career in industrial and construction tyres began in 2007 at Industriereifen Kontor Lüdtke, where he developed extensive industry experience. The company stated that his strong background adds valuable expertise and a solid understanding of the DACH market. CAMSO Construction looks forward to his contributions in strengthening the company’s regional presence and partnerships.

The company statement read: “His career in industrial and construction tires began in 2007 at Industriereifen Kontor Lüdtke, and since then, he has built extensive experience across the industry. This strong background adds valuable depth to the expertise he brings to the team, along with a solid understanding of the DACH region. We look forward to the contribution he will make in strengthening our presence and partnerships in the market. Welcome to CAMSO Construction, Andreas!”

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Radar Tires has named Anthony Sbona as Territory Sales Manager for its Radar brand in North America. Entering the tyre industry in 2018, Sbona quickly established a strong foundation in sales and customer relationship management, later expanding his expertise across distribution channels and gaining a deep market understanding. His career progression reflects consistent growth and adaptability in a competitive sector.

Known for building relationships and driving results, Sbona now brings a fresh perspective and solid industry experience to the team. His new role focuses on expanding the Radar brand’s reach, strengthening distributor partnerships and accelerating growth across his assigned territory, positioning the company for sustained regional success.

Rob Montasser, Vice President for Radar Tires North America, said, “We’re excited to welcome Anthony to the Radar Tires team. Anthony’s experience gives him a strong understanding of the market and his region, and we’re confident he will play a key role in continuing to grow our presence across North America.”

Sbona said, “I’m excited to be part of the rapidly expanding Radar Tires team. I look forward to building strong partnerships, growing the brand, and contributing to the continued success of Radar Tires.”

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