Press releases don't always precede the news. Sometimes they are written in response to the news.
That is the case with Bridgestone Americas Inc.'s decision to end its affiliate and associate dealer programs with American Tire Distributors Inc. (ATD) in the U.S. Following the announcement, which Modern Tire Dealer verified through a number of sources, Bridgestone released an official statement about the move.
Now its ATD's turn.
Here is the company's background statement regarding the recent Bridgestone decision, in its entirety.
"We are disappointed by Bridgestone’s decision to no longer use ATD as a distributor of their products in the United States, which we believe limits consumer choice. ATD remains the nation's premier tire distributor as well as the largest independent supplier of tires to the replacement tire market.
"Importantly, ATD continues to generate substantial cash flows and as of May 31, 2018, had approximately $300 million of liquidity. We have a loyal base of customers and manufacturer partners with whom we are continuing to work as we always do.
"Our value proposition continues to strengthen as we execute our strategy. Our industry is evolving and we are been bringing game changing innovation -- including digital tools, programs and technical support -- that will make us the most connected and insight-driven automotive solutions provider in the industry.
"We have been and will continue to take steps to meaningfully offset the potential impact of Goodyear and Bridgestone’s actions. To us, it’s all about keeping the power of choice alive, and we look forward to continuing to support our customers and manufacturer partners like no one else can."
To read more about Bridgestone's decision, and how all this came about, check out these links:
"Bridgestone's Relationship With ATD Has Not Completely Ended."
"Goodyear and Bridgestone Form Tire Distribution Network: TireHub."
"Schuette Says Goodyear Is Dropping ATD as a Distributor."
"How ATD Is Planning to Offset the Potential Impact of Goodyear's Actions."
"Goodyear Says It Will be Better Off Following Its Divorce From ATD."
