Bridgestone Europe Taps BT for Digital Transformation

Bridgestone Europe announced a contract with BT (British Telecommunications) for new network infrastructure and managed cloud services connecting more than 200 sites across 20 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Bridgestone Europe, with headquarters in Brussels and serving markets across EMEA, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company.

BT will securely connect 150 retail stores and more than 50 offices, manufacturing plants and testing facilities using both BT's global IP Connect virtual private network and its internet service. BT's Connect Intelligence service is expected to ensure high performance of Bridgestone's business critical applications.

Leveraging the new network infrastructure, Bridgestone will deploy BT's One Cloud Cisco portfolio of secure, cloud-based communications to enhance collaboration between employees as well as with customers and suppliers. Employees will also have access to collaboration tools, such as Cisco WebEx, and high definition audioconferencing services, all managed by BT.

Across Europe, call center agents will benefit from using BT's Cloud Contact Cisco. The omnichannel contact center service will allow customers to interact with Bridgestone agents through variety of channels, including voice, e-mail, SMS, web chat and social media.

BT will also manage Bridgestone's in-office — and in-store — fixed and wireless local area networks to enable employees to securely access the corporate network.