On 10 Dec. 2010, BSTM team members including Managing Director, Takashi Aoki took a break from their busy schedule to pay a visit to the unfortunates children at the Handicapped & Disabled Children’s Home of Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya, a non profitable organization who runs a home for the special children, providing them with immediate shelter, food, education, therapy and other needs.

The center was founded by the late S.K Manikumar whom was also physically handicapped. The center now houses 144 children & the under privileges age range from 3 months to 51 years old.

It was rather disheartening to learn about their handicaps and disables. However, we were relief to see that these children are in good hands, under the care of the principle, workers & professional therapist who are very devoted to the children’s well being.

In line with the center’s vision of bring up the children to be independent, educated and skillful, we have decided to opt for the sewing machines and other electrical appliances for contribution to the center.

Everyone had a great time engaging with the children and we left the center after a vegetarian lunch treat.

Penang, Stadium Batu Kawan: Bridgestone Tyre Sales (M) Sdn Bhd. Organized its  Potenza Driving Lesson with more than 30 Bridgestone users nationwide participating in what was regarded as one of the most realistic safe driving course ever conducted for drivers here on 4^th December. Participants were first given an explanation on the proper seating position for driving. They then split into groups to experience for themselves 4 different courses of driving technique termed as Brake Avoidance, Threshold Braking, Slalom or Staggered Gates and Braking in Corner.

Bridgestone Malaysia Managing Director, Mr. Takashi Aoki urged all participants to share what they’ve learnt with as many drivers they know as possible. He added that the Potenza Driving Lesson and Tyre Safety complement each other in developing better drivers and safer driving. Once again, we received positive response from all the participants and their choice of purchasing Bridgestone tyres has truly rewarded them as one of the few lucky winners for the Potenza Driving Lesson.

For more information on the next Potenza Driving Lesson contest, log onto

www.bridgestonetyre.com.my or contact our hotline 1300-88-2168.

The Sepang International Circuit is hosting the Sepang 1000km Endurance Race or popularly known as the S1K from June 3 to 5.  S1K is a spin-off from the Merdeka Millenium Endurance Race (MMER).  Each car taking part in the S1K race must have a minimum of two and a maximum of four drivers, and the first team to complete 1000km (approximately 9 hours) will be declared as the winner.

Our preparation started only 1 month before the race for Class 1.   With only 3 practice session for the 2 new drivers to quickly learn up.  Not easy to adapt every day driving for more than 14 years to racing mode, but somehow we manage to train them with our “BSTM Boleh” (can in Malay language) spirit and past year’s experiences.

The race car that were prepared on a very tight schedule, behave and holding up quite nicely until the very last moment during official practice with some handling and suspension set up problems.  We are still one of the slowest team on the track with 56 cars.  With the tyre knowledge of BSTM members, we quickly understand the need for our drivers and manage to make some last minutes changes.  The hostile weather in Malaysia also troubled us with some wiring and alternator malfunction.  Therefore, we only manage to qualify 39th out of 56 cars.  Knowing that in endurance race, speed and power is not everything, we still have a very prevailing weapon which is still muscular and sturdy, teamwork.  Therefore, new race strategies have been planned out after all team members contribute their ideas and information, tomorrow there will be many rival to chase.

On Race Day, 1200, before the National Anthem, we managed a few jokes to lessen the drivers’ tensed emotion.  Everyone will understand our feelings when standing where we put our car on the grid, looking in front there is a long 2 columns lane, sort of reminding us of our everyday traffic to work.  Somehow we are very positive that we will find ways to slip thru and have our placing in front.   An air temperature of around 38 degrees, a track temperature of nearly 60 degrees and humidity levels of more than 75% represent a tough challenge for all members.  Our very own umbrella-girls and the whole team members show no respect to the weather and still can capture a few nice pictures and words of encouragement to our drivers.

After 1 hour of intense heat and racing, we managed a perfect pit-stop and driver change.  As a punishment for disrespecting the mighty weather, the driver came out and almost lost his mind from dehydration.  The immense team spirit (lots of water and bananas too) quickly have him recovered in no time to prepare for the next change.  Feedback from the drivers is the air in the car was so hot that almost not breathable, the water remaining in the hose of the ice filled dehydra-pack was so hot it taste like your morning latte, still it was fully consumed right after 9 laps of 24!

Most of the rival teams too were beaten badly by the weather.  Their lap times also getting much slower to 4-5 seconds a lap.  Again our prevailing tyre knowledge and pit strategies is gaining us better position, we are now in 9th placing in Class after third driver changed.  All we need is to just hold up the car and maintaining pace until the timing is right for us to start pushing the machine again. When the track temperature dropped at the evening, team order was to squeeze everything out from the machine till the end of the race.  Now all members are manning their battle stations, tyre crews with their tools ready and fuel crew, mask on!  Remaining members squeezed to the pit wall and start cheering for our car every time it flies thru the start/finish line near 190km/h!

Checkered flag on sight, and we manage 7th /22 in Class 1!!  From a poor qualifying to top 10.  From a non racing related office members to racing crews and racers!  The celebration and cheering was immense!  All team members was overwhelmed with the achievement and believed that with teamwork and determination everything can be achieved.  Now everyone have understand the ingredients for the recipe of success, we will sure to create a better tasting success in the future.  Hence, Sepang 1000km, watch out for us next year!!

PETALING JAYA, 20 November 2010: Bridgestone - the world’s largest in its industry - produces high-quality tyres and rubber products for customers around the globe. On the local front, in commemoration with the 10th anniversary of Bridgestone Tyre Sales (M) Sdn Bhd, the company has taken a series of green initiatives as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility to promote environmental conservation.

Bridgestone considers the environment to be an integral and important part of all its business activities as it works towards a sustainable society. As such, the company is committed to helping its customers conserve natural resources through continual improvement of products and services, as well as carrying out community activities dedicated to environmental and social improvements.

As a start, Bridgestone together with the Global Environment Centre (GEC), a non-profit organization committed to environmental preservation, has organized an Earth Charity Drive early this year. Apart from educating local communities about environmental-friendly motoring through its campaign “Make Cars Green”, the charity drive has successfully raised a handsome amount of RM110,820 which was later contributed to GEC for its re-habilitation projects.

With the recent launch of the new eco-friendly tyre, Ecopia EP100A, Bridgestone Tyre Sales (M) Sdn Bhd plans to re-affirm its commitment to the environment through the “One Tyre, One Good Deed” campaign. During the campaign, Bridgestone will contribute RM1 towards a tree planting initiative for every Ecopia, Turanza and B-Series tyre sold. The proceeds will facilitate the rehabilitation efforts by GEC at selected forest reserves.

One such area is the North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest, the largest remaining peat swamp forest in Selangor. Over 1,000ha of the forest reserve has been drained and burned for agriculture activities, causing serious environmental hazards such as haze and greenhouse gases. The proceeds from “One Tyre, One Good Deed” will facilitate GEC to rehabilitate this area through improved water management, fire prevention, replanting of seedlings, capacity building, raising public awareness and reforestation exercises to restore biodiversity of the forest. By the end of the 3-year rehabilitation project, 20ha of the forest is expected to have recovered with at least 500 trees per ha growing. This will be one of Bridgestone’s long term eco-drive campaigns in pursuit of a sustainable environment for the present and future generations.

ECOPIA EP100A

Ecopia EP100A is Bridgestone’s answer to the call for an eco-friendly tyre that saves fuel, delivers excellent performance that doesn’t take a toll on the environment. Tyres that combine outstanding safety characteristics with high fuel efficiency has traditionally involved a performance trade-off. This is not the case with Ecopia EP100A tyre. Launched locally in October this year, Ecopia EP100A is developed with Bridgestone’s advanced ECOPIA silica compound. Coupled with new features such as its innovative design and rib-linked blocks, the new model not only reduces rolling resistance to the minimum but it also raises greater braking performance, even in wet driving conditions. As a result, Ecopia EP100A offers 3.1%* better fuel efficiency, enabling car owners to cut carbon emissions, reduce their environmental footprint and enjoy more savings in the long run.

Ecopia EP100A comes in introductory sizes from 15 to17 inch, available at an affordable retail price ranging from RM220 to RM510. For more information on Bridgestone’s environmental initiatives, visit www.bridgestonetyre.com.my

*Source: Japan Automobile Transport Technology Association. Result of fuel consumption comparison between ECOPIA EP100A and B250 under same conditions. Results may vary depending on car model, tyre size and driving style.

ABOUT BRIDGESTONE

Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world's largest manufacturer of tyres and other rubber products. While tyre contributes significantly to Bridgestone Group’s sales worldwide, Bridgestone also manufactures industrial rubber and chemical products, sporting goods, and other diversified products.

Bridgestone Tyre Sales (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. is an affiliate of Bridgestone Corporation. The company was set up in April 2000 with the aim of providing exceptional customer service and to introduce quality products for the benefit of Malaysian consumers. The company offers a wide range of tyres, tubes and flaps for passenger cars, 4X4s, light trucks, trucks & buses as well as industrial & agricultural vehicles and machinery.

ABOUT GEC

Global Environment Centre was established in 1998 to work on environmental issues of global importance. The centre is registered in Malaysia as a non-profit organization. GEC works regionally and internationally both directly and through many partners. GEC supports information exchange and capacity building as well as undertakes strategic projects particularly in developing countries. GEC's mission is to support the protection of the environment and sustainable use of natural resources to meet local, regional and global needs through strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations/agencies/body and communities.

Editor’s Contact: Ms. Alice Chong / Tammy Yap Tel.: 03-5621 0270

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Bridgestone Tyre Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd contributed a total of RM110,820 to the Global Environment Centre (GEC), a non-profit organization committed to environmental preservation, during a cheque presentation ceremony at Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara today.