Firestone Farm Tires Receives 2014 IRPE Silver AwardCompany became first U.S. tire manufacturing facility to achieve Silver-level recognition in 2013
DES MOINES, Iowa (April 2, 2015) – The Iowa Quality Center has recognized Firestone Farm Tires, a division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC (BATO), for achieving Silver-level recognition as part of its Iowa Recognition of Performance Excellence (IRPE) program for the second time. Firestone Farm Tires became the first U.S. tire manufacturing facility to receive Silver-level recognition in 2013, and also received a Bronze award in 2012.
“Participating in the IRPE program involves significant investment in time and thought, but it’s the feedback and focused efforts to improve the business that keep us coming back each year,” said Tony M. Orlando, President, Bridgestone Agricultural Tire, U.S. & Canada Commercial Tire Sales (BAAG), a division of BATO. “This significant achievement is a rewarding affirmation that our range of robust products with innovative, leading technologies and product durability helps our end-use customers – American farmers – achieve a low tire cost per hour.”
Firestone Farm Tires, which employs more than 1,500 employees in Des Moines and Ankeny, was recognized by IRPE for its emphasis on being “agricultural people in the tire business,” a position used to stay in close contact with customers in the original equipment market as well as end-user customers through the strong dealer network for replacement tires. IRPE also acknowledged the company’s open-door policy, which encourages two-way communication between leaders and all employees, as well as its focus on continuous product improvement and employee development.
The IRPE program is one of 39 state award programs aligned with the National Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The IRPE process is intended to provide organizations in the state an opportunity to self-assess or be externally evaluated against the National Baldrige criteria, which includes: leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce focus, operations focus and results.
To learn more about Firestone Farm Tires, visit www.firestoneag.com.About Firestone Farm Tires:
Firestone Farm Tires (FSAG), a division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, is the industry leader in the manufacturing, marketing, and sales of market-leading Firestone agricultural tires. FSAG’s Des Moines, Iowa, facility is located in the heart of America’s farm belt and supplies approximately half of the agricultural tires consumed by North American original equipment manufacturers as well as being the leading agricultural tire supplier in the North American replacement market. Firestone agricultural tires can be found on farm tractors, planting and harvesting equipment and other farm implements in North America and around the world. In addition, FSAG markets and sells forestry and construction tires. FSAG also operates a testing facility, located in Columbiana, Ohio, which is the only facility in the world solely dedicated to the development and testing of agricultural tires.