NASHVILLE — General Motors Co. has recognized Bridgestone Americas Inc.'s passenger/light truck tire plants in Aiken County, S.C., and Wilson, N.C., as having earned the car maker's 2018 Supplier Quality Excellence Award.
The award recognizes supplier facilities that meet GM's stringent set of quality performance criteria, including product quality and certification of GM's required quality management system, Bridgestone said.
"This award is a testament to the outstanding efforts of our manufacturing teammates to continually deliver products that meet the highest standards of quality and performance," Shannon Quinn, president, original equipment, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, said.
Bridgestone announced earlier this week it would invest $72 million to expand warehouse capacity at both the Aiken County and Wilson sites.
"We value our longstanding relationship with GM and are honored to receive this prestigious award."
This is the second year the Aiken County plant has received the honor. It also marks the fifth consecutive year the Wilson plant has earned recognition, Bridgestone said. Among the products made at the Wilson plant is Bridgestone's DriveGuard run-flat tires.
"To achieve GM's Supplier Quality Excellence Award consistently for the past several years underscores the commitment and dedication of Bridgestone's team to consistently achieve high standards of quality and delivery to meet our customers' needs," Barry Owens, senior vice president, Bridgestone Americas Manufacturing Group, said.
"This award belongs to the dedicated teammates across our global organization who bring performance and innovation to partners like GM."
Earlier this year Bridgestone Americas was one of four tire companies — Goodyear, Hankook Tire America Corp. and Michelin North America were the others — singled out by GM as suppliers of the year for 2018.