In Retreadcast Episode 48, Ben Rosenblum, Vice President of Strategy and Business Transformation at Bridgestone Americas, joins David Wilson, Publisher of Retreading Business, to discuss the comprehensive new strategy to revitalise the Bandag brand in Europe. They cover the challenging European market, the “three-legged stool” model (Fleet, Dealer, Bridgestone), the strategic move of production from Langenfeld to Poland, and how Bridgestone plans to re-engage fleets and dealers with a new value proposition built on digital tools like BASys and a complete logistics solution.
The latest Retreadcast features Bridgestone’s VP of Strategy
In this episode of Retreadcast, Ben Rosenblum discusses the new strategy for Bandag in Europe and the challenges facing the European retreading industry.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction to Episode #48 by David Wilson
1:05 David Wilson introduces Ben Rosenblum
1:50 Ben Rosenblum on the Challenging European Market vs. Sustainability Push
3:50 The “Three-Legged Stool” Model: Fleet, Dealer, and Bridgestone
5:15 The Virtuous Cycle of Scale and Efficiency
5:55 Timeline of the New Strategy and the Langenfeld Facility Closure
7:40 Using State-of-the-Art Poland Factory for Retread Production
8:24 Outlining the New Business Model and Digital Tools for Fleets
10:27 The Most Important KPI: How Many Times You’re Retreading Every Casing
10:53 Persuading Dealers: How Bandag Will Prove Its Value
12:45 The Efficiency of the Local Dealer Model vs. Company-Owned
14:10 Re-establishing the Dealer Network “One by One” with BASys
15:12 What Does “Transcend Retreads as a Product” Mean?
15:50 Bandag as a “Logistics Business,” Not Just a Rubber Supplier
17:01 How Can the US Fleet Market Share be Replicated in Europe?
19:33 Integrating the Retread Offer with Fleet Management Tools
20:54 A Final Message to Persuade European Fleets
23:12 Conclusion to Episode #48
