Bridgestone raised prices on its radial truck and bus tires up to 8% on Sept. 12, 2011. The price increases apply to Bridgestone and Firestone brands in the United States and Canada.
Bridgestone Commercial Solutions (BCS), a business of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC, made the announcement, which affects its dealer and truckstop customers. Bridgestone also raised prices of OTR tread rubber and Bandag brand retread materials -- including tread rubber, cushion, cement, solvents and envelopes -- by an average of 8% in the U.S. and Canada.
"Volatile market conditions continue to cause many challenges in our industry," says Kurt Danielson, BCS president. "We are particularly impacted by intense supply pressures and escalating prices of raw materials.
"While we continue to look for ways to balance costs and deliver a premium package of value to our customers, we have reached a point where these increases are necessary."
Bridgestone last raised prices on Bridgestone and Firestone truck tires in the U.S. and Canada, plus Bandag retreads and related retreading materials, on July 1. In addition, Bridgestone, Firestone and Continuum OTR tire products and retread rubber prices increased effective Aug. 1. According to Bridgestone, the total average increase for all the products was 11%.
Less than a week ago, Bridgestone announced it would raise consumer tire prices effective Nov. 1 (see "Raw material costs rise, so do Bridgestone prices").
Bridgestone is the latest tire maker to announce a price increase in the near future, or implement a price increase since Sept. 1, 2011.
Commercial
* Yokohama Tire Corp. will implement a price increase of up to 8% on all of its light and medium commercial truck tires in the U.S., effective Oct. 1. The tire maker also implemented a price increase of up to 11% on all of its OTR tires in the U.S., effective Sept. 1.
* Michelin North America Inc. will raise prices on commercial truck replacement tires and retreads, by an average of 8% on Michelin, BFGoodrich, Michelin Retread Technologies and Oliver brands sold in the U.S., effective Oct. 3, and Michelin-brand agricultural and compact line replacement tires sold in the United States and Canada, up to 6%, effective Nov. 1.
* Eurotire increased prices by up to 9.8% on all its OTR bias tires, an increase of up to 11.5% on all its OTR radial tires globally, effective Sept. 5.
* Michelin North America Inc. increased prices between 5-13% on Michelin brand earthmover replacement tires in the United States, Canada and Mexico, effective Sept. 1.
* Titan International Inc. soon will raise farm tire prices for the third time this year. Titan and Goodyear brand tire prices will be raised up to 8%.
Consumer
Continental Tire The Americas LLC will increase prices up to 8.5% (with some in-line adjustments) on all Continental, General and proprietary brand passenger and light truck tires in the United States. The price increases will vary by product line and size and will be effective Nov. 1.
* Bridgestone will raise prices for passenger and light truck replacement and original equipment tires in the U.S. and Canada, effective Nov. 1. Prices for Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires will be raised up to 8%.
* Michelin North America Inc. will raise prices on Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, and private and associate passenger and light truck replacement tires sold in the U.S. up to 9% effective Oct. 3.
