INDIANAPOLIS (USA) — Firestone Industrial Products Europe BV has moved to their new state-of-the-art European Business and Technical Center in Arnhem, The Netherlands.
 
The facility is strategically based in close proximity to the company’s manufacturing and warehousing facilities enabling faster service to European air spring customers. The new facility is home to the engineering, design and testing team for Europe, as well as Firestone’s European business operations, including marketing, sales, distribution and business support functions.
 
Leading the Arnhem facility is Dan Leonard, managing director of Firestone Industrial Products Europe BV. Leonard, who transferred to Arnhem from the U.S., has more than 30 years of experience with Firestone in the air springs industry.
 
Additional key staff members include: Leo Peeters, engineering manager; Julian Blackwell, sales director; Tom Falk, distributor sales manager; Mike Foster, original equipment sales manager; Jeff Harper, controller; Mijke Overmaat, human resources manager; Steffan ter Horst, European purchasing; and Thorvald Löbel, senior quality engineer Europe.
 
“Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC, has had a strong presence in Europe since 1977. By creating the European Business and Technical Center in Arnhem, Firestone is well-positioned to serve as an innovative and experienced resource for the industry,” said Leonard. “The advanced skills of the team and the new facility represent our commitment to support and enhance the European air springs market.”
 
The full-service technical center will be capable of conducting characteristics lab testing of air springs to determine spring rate, load-carrying capacity, and fatigue testing to determine the longevity of air springs. Additionally, the engineering department is equipped with state-of-the-art design technology for producing innovative products for the European automotive market.
 
The technical center is located at Delta 160, 6825 MV in Arnhem, and will be fully operational during the second quarter of 2009.
 

About Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC:
Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Firestone Diversified Products, LLC, specializes in air spring manufacturing and technology with a history of more than 70 years of research and development on technologically advanced air springs. Its famous Airide™ brand has set the standard for air spring manufacturing and technology since 1939. For more information, visit www.firestoneip.com .