Bridgestone Firestone will increase tire prices.

Bridgestone Firestone will increase tire prices--Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, Nashville, Tenn., announced price increases on the company's Bridgestone, Firestone, Fuzion and associate brand tire lines, scheduled to begin phasing in on May 1, 2007. The price increase will generally be up to 5 percent on agricultural and off-the-road tires and also on passenger car, light truck, truck and bus tires. Specific in-line adjustments, affecting replacement, original equipment and export channels, may exceed the 5 percent increase. Company president Asahiko "Duke" Nishiyaman said the price increases were necessary because the spiraling rise in the cost of raw material can no longer be managed through enhanced efficiencies and increased productivity.