Attorney Joseph Lisoni Calls on Bridgestone/Firestone to Stop Using Substandard Carbon Black Produced by Continental Carbon.

Business Editors/Legal Writers

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 26, 2004

Joseph L. Lisoni, a Southern California attorney whose firm is handling the national class action lawsuit brought against Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. for alleged defects in its Steeltex tire series, today called upon the tire manufacturer to stop using carbon black produced by Continental Carbon Corporation (CCC) at its Ponca City, Okla., plant in the manufacture of its tires because it could lead to massive tire tread separations.

Lisoni joined with officials of the PACE (Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical & Energy) International Union in demanding that Bridgestone/Firestone immediately cease production of tires using carbon black from the Ponca City plant because the material has been allegedly substandard and degraded in quality since CCC imposed a lockout on PACE members on May 8, 2001. The PACE union claims CCC's use of unskilled labor has led to the product becoming defective.

According to Lisoni, carbon black is a petroleum-based product which serves as a filler and agent and comprises 25 percent of the composition of tires and provides them more strength and durability. Even more critical, he added, carbon black is vital to the bonding process in tires. If the carbon black is defective, he stressed, it will lead to tread separation which ultimately could result in accidents that could cause injuries and deaths.

Lisoni noted that Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Goodyear) formerly used carbon black in the production of its tires but severed its business relationship with CCC in October 2002, 17 months after the lockout, because of its concerns with the quality of the carbon black coming from the Ponca City plant. Subsequently, in May 2003, Goodyear filed a lawsuit against CCC alleging that its products were defective.

Commenting on the PACE Union's claims and Goodyear's actions, Lisoni remarked: "It is documented that Firestone's Wilderness tires series was defective and it is clear that its Steeltex tires also have defects, given its recent recall of 490,000 Steeltex tires. Goodyear has acted responsibly to protect the integrity of its product and ensure the safety of its customers. It's tragic that Bridgestone/Firestone has not followed Goodyear's lead in being a good corporate citizen. It behooves them to show the same resolve to emphasize quality and safety."

Lisoni saluted PACE for its own resolve in not only protecting the interests of its members in their dispute over the CCC lockout but also for conducting a national public awareness campaign to educate the public to the dangers from Firestone Steeltex tires produced with defective carbon black. He said more information on the problem with the lockout and the danger posed by the allegedly defective carbon black emanating from the CCC Ponca City plant can be obtained from PACE's website, www.fightbackonline.org.

"Given that our national class action lawsuit and PACE are both dedicated to getting the Steeltex R4S, R4SII and A/T tires off the road to protect the health and welfare of American motorists, we look forward to working closely with PACE to achieve our mutual goals," Lisoni emphasized.

He urged citizens who have any direct information about defects in carbon black to contact PACE through its website and to contact the Steeltex class action lawsuit's website, www.firestonesteeltexclassaction.com, for more information on the lawsuit or to report problems with their Steeltex tires.