Serving Society with Superior Quality

“Serving society with superior quality” is the mission that has defined the operation of Bridgestone Tatabánya as an integral part of the company group for 15 years. Like the parent company, the regional factory unit shapes its operations and global business policy according to the principles of its founder, Shojiro Ishibashi.

Developments at the Tatabánya plant, founded a decade and a half ago, do not stop. It is at the forefront of applying the latest technologies and does not forget about social responsibility either.

Unstoppable development
15 years ago, Bridgestone Tatabánya Production Ltd. started production with 361 employees on just over 47,000 m², producing 400,000 tires a year. Today, the factory's floor space has grown to 154,200 m² and its production capacity to 6.5 million tires a year, employing nearly 1,300 people. The Tatabánya plant is one of the youngest Bridgestone EMIA sites, and in a decade and a half, it has become an international giant and one of the largest employers in Komárom-Esztergom County. After Japan, the EXAMATION digital production technology was applied here for the first time in Europe. The solution ensures outstandingly consistent quality with complex data collection and analysis processes. The new warehouse, built as part of the HUF 12.6 billion support program in 2019, has increased the total warehouse capacity to 600,000 tires. The improvements do not stop there. Following the parent company's principles of excellence and sustainability, the factory started its transformation into a smart factory in 2019. The aim is to complete the transformation by 2023 and to fully digitalize not only the tire production but also the production of semi-finished products, energy supply, maintenance, production tracking and production planning.

Committed to a sustainable future
For the company, the issue of creating a sustainable future is more than a well-sounding phrase. Following the principles of the parent company, Bridgestone Tatabánya is also a committed supporter of initiatives to create a green future and sustainable mobility and is a proud proponent of the company’s ‘Our Way to Serve’ commitment. The focus of the concept is on finding solutions that the company can use to further reduce the environmental impact of its operations and improve the energy efficiency of its processes. The Tatabánya plant also supports the global ambition of Bridgestone to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 and to cover its entire energy consumption from sustainable sources by 2050. Following the idea of sustainable operation, the Hungarian unit has been covering 100% of its electricity needs from renewable energy sources since March 2020. In 2019, the global headquarters of the group recognized the environmental efforts of the Hungarian plant with the Gold Leaf Prize.

Strength in unity
In addition to its industry successes and goals, Bridgestone Tatabánya also pays special attention to the well-being of its employees. The supportive environment created within the walls of the factory allows workers to balance work and private life. Bridgestone Tatabánya firmly believes that the real power is in the community, so it makes everyday life cloudless with a number of communities forging internal activities, employee satisfaction campaigns, volunteer promotions, sporting events and family days. In addition to community events, the tire factory maintains their health through regular screening programs and sports promotion activities. One of the company’s long-standing slogans is “Bridgestone puts the health of its employees first”. As in all areas of its activity, the traditions and values of the parent company play an important role in its employee activities. Following the traditional Japanese custom, in the spring of 2022, as part of the Sakura Festival, workers will greet the arrival of spring and the cherry blossoms. The efforts of the Hungarian unit were also recognized by the industry, and in 2019, 2020 and 2021 it got the title of ‘Family-Friendly Workplace’ from the Ministry of Human Resources.

Responsible company
Bridgestone Tatabánya is respectful and attentive to the customs of the Japanese parent company, adapting its values. As a result, the Hungarian factory is committed to the people living in its environment. Over the past five years, it has supported local health care institutions, law enforcement and social organizations with tire donations, material donations and financial contributions. Together with its employees, it has raised more than HUF 2.5 million for the Red Nose Clown Doctors foundation through internal charity campaigns and cleaned up 1.5 tons of rubbish on the nearby nature reserve hiking trail. In the course of the pavement painting program, a total of 11 busy pedestrian crossings were made safer in Tatabánya. In addition, four rest areas and a service point with selective waste disposal were set up along the cycle paths in Környe.
Shojiro Ishibashi's credo is an ideal that Bridgestone's Tatabánya factory follows every day. The company's founder believed that a company that does something for society and for the environment can prosper forever, unlike other companies that focus only on profit. This idea, from the desks through the communal spaces to the production lines, permeates the entire factory.