News - 2022

• Bridgestone announced today that it will expand the production capacity of hydraulic hoses at Bridgestone NCR Co., Ltd., a subsidiary manufacturing and selling diversified products in Thailand.
• Bridgestone will further enhance the premium business strategy and solution in hose business, and will strengthen profit structure in diversified products business with the basis of strong core competence through the expansion.
• Bridgestone has committed to non-stop mobility and innovation that keeps people and the world moving ahead though this expansion, aligns with the "Extension" value of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment.

Tokyo (August 5, 2022) ― Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) announced today that, as a hydraulic hose global supply base, it will expand the production capacity of hydraulic hoses at Bridgestone NCR Co., Ltd., a subsidiary manufacturing and selling industrial products in Thailand. A total investment is approximately 4.9 billion JPY. Production capacity will start to increase from 2nd quarter of 2025, and the production capacity expansions of hydraulic hoses are projected to result in an increase of approximately 30% of current capacity globally, within 1st quarter of 2026. The expansion of hydraulic hoses are aligned with "Extension: Committed to nonstop mobility and innovation that keeps people and the world moving ahead" in the "Bridgestone E8 Commitment."

Bridgestone's Mid Term Business Plan (2021-2023) had announced that it will restructuring the portfolio of its diversified products business to sharply focus on areas where it can leverage its core competencies. With regard to hose business, as a core business of its diversified products business, Bridgestone has various core competencies as follows.

• Dan-Totsu Products made through "Master forming hybrid polymer" technology which controls rubber materials and reinforcement materials
• Metal coupling sales necessary to secure the quality of hydraulic hoses and channel network which provides the crimping operation
• Broad business models such as the direct sales to construction/agricultural machine manufacturing customers, replacement hoses sales, and mobile truck service "not to stop the customers' operation"
• Business development operated in Japan, China, Asia, Americas and Europe based on the manufacturing footprints in Japan, China, and Thailand

Hydraulic hose is a hose used in machines which are activated by hydraulic pressure, and is required in various areas of industries including construction and mining. These industrial areas necessitate the machines with higher pressure and larger capacity recently, and the demand for this premium zone is growing. Bridgestone provides Dan-Totsu Products having technical advantages, such as the balance of durability, flexibility and light weight by high efficiency reinforcement design, and the good product life by high durability rubber compound technology, and through expanding the supply of these premium products with technical superiority, Bridgestone will further enhance the premium business strategy, and will strengthen profit structure with the basis of strong core competence through the expansion.

<Outline of BSNCR>
1. Company: Bridgestone NCR Co., Ltd.
2. Location: Rayong, Thailand
3. Establishment: 1996
4. No. of Employees: 387 (As of June 30, 2022)
5. Operations: Manufacturing and sales of hydraulic hose, automotive hose, and conveyor belt