Bridgestone Plans 15% Expansion for U.S. Sales Network

Bridgestone Corp. plans by 2020 to enlarge its U.S. network of tire retailers to 6,000 from about 5,200 today.

CEO Masaaki Tsuya tells The Nikkei the expansion will address regional weaknesses in Bridgestone’s current network of company-owned stores and independent tire outlets.

Bridgestone had hoped to acquire 800 stories in the U.S. by buying aftermarket parts retailer Pep Boys. But it bowed out of a bidding war for the company with investor Carl Icahn at the end of last month. Icahn prevailed with a bid of more than $1 billion compared with Bridgestone’s $947 million offer.

Tsuya says Bridgestone will consider pursuing new deals with cash freed up by the failed Pep Boys bid.