BRIDGESTONE
22.1.2019 08:00:15 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Bridgestone Europe NV/SA (“Bridgestone”), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation in EMEA, has entered into an agreement with TomTom to acquire its telematics business, for a cash consideration of €910 million.
The transaction will bring together the world’s largest tyre and rubber company with the number one provider of digital fleet solutions in Europe, creating a leading data platform for connected vehicles. TomTom Telematics will accelerate Bridgestone on its journey to becoming a mobility solutions leader in the region, and the combination of both companies’ offerings will allow Bridgestone to cross-sell tyres and solutions to a larger customer base. Furthermore, the data access will enhance Bridgestone’s virtual tyre development and testing as well as connected tyre innovation benefiting all customers including OEMs.
New social, economic and technological megatrends are pushing the pace of change in the automotive industry and the future of vehicles is connected, autonomous, shared and electric. In that context, Bridgestone has identified digital mobility solutions and fleet solutions as a strategic priority. This is reinforced by the growing importance of fleets over individually-owned vehicles for transportation of people and goods. Increasing demand in the transportation industry means that fleet owners and managers need to maximise productivity and minimise total cost of ownership more than ever.
This latest investment builds on previous work at Bridgestone to strengthen its digital capabilities in EMEA. Specifically, the company has built capabilities in data collection from sensors, data platforms and analytics. This has resulted in the launch of a range of digital solutions and applications such as Tirematics, Mobox, FleetPulse and Bridgestone Connect.
TomTom Telematics, a front-runner in a double-digit growth industry, fits Bridgestone strategically as it has a large and growing installed user base of 860,000 vehicles of which more than two thirds are commercial. It has a tailored go-to-market system and a premium digital offering including WebFleet and NextFleet. Its strong underlying technologies based on data analytics rely on an open, scalable, secure and cloud-based platform. It handles on average over 800 million GPS positions, 3.3 million trips, and 200 million inbound messages per day.
Its platform enables customers such as commercial fleets, leasing companies or corporate fleets to make their operations more efficient. It also enables partnerships such as with OEMs because of the improved driver experience. TomTom Telematics’ management team has been successful in constantly growing its customer base and maintaining a profitable business year after year. The business is also well-positioned for future growth in fleet solutions and to develop new business models relying on software capabilities.
Bridgestone has the perfect set of assets to accelerate the TomTom Telematics business. It can draw on its strong brand equity, large customer base, preferred supplier status at many of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and fleets, and 2,600 points-of-sale in EMEA. In addition, Bridgestone brings its industry-leading R&D investment, and Rome-based Digital Garage dedicated to the development of digital mobility solutions.
Paolo Ferrari, CEO and President of Bridgestone EMEA, Executive Vice President of Bridgestone Group, said: “We have found our perfect match in TomTom Telematics. Our complementary assets and capabilities will create a fleet solutions powerhouse and will further strengthen Bridgestone’s digital technology arm. Beyond scale, there would be considerable benefits by complementing our offerings, allowing us, among many other opportunities, to sell tyres and solutions across our customers. We are now well-positioned in EMEA to accelerate our data-driven business, expand our fleet customer base and seize fast-growing, profitable opportunities in the automotive mobility industry.”
“We recognise and respect the talent and skill of TomTom Telematics’ management team and its 670 employees. It’s our intention to foster and grow the business and support its current plans. We want TomTom Telematics to continue serving its customers as successfully as it has done over the last few years and take advantage of its number one position in a fast-growing market.”
“After a thorough review of multiple strategic options, we have determined that the sale of TomTom Telematics to Bridgestone is in the best interest of both TomTom Telematics and our core location technology business,” commented Harold Goddijn, CEO, TomTom. “We will continue to invest in our innovative map-making system, enabling faster map updates while lowering operational costs, paving the road towards autonomous driving.”
“TomTom Telematics is the number one Telematics Service Provider in Europe, and we continue to grow our installed base of vehicles we service globally ,” added Thomas Schmidt, Managing Director, TomTom Telematics. “We look forward to accelerating our ambitious growth plan and seizing new opportunities as part of Bridgestone. In the meantime, we expect the transition to be seamless with no disruption for our customers, suppliers and employees. ”
Transaction details
Upon closing, Bridgestone will acquire all issued and outstanding share capital of TomTom Telematics for a cash consideration of €910 million, subject to customary closing adjustments. The acquisition is being funded with available cash on the balance sheet and is expected to be EPS accretive in year one. It is only the telematics business unit of TomTom which is being acquired.
The transaction is anticipated to be completed latest in the second quarter of 2019. The transaction is still subject to the relevant regulatory approvals, the consultation with TomTom employee representative bodies, and approval of TomTom’s shareholders.
In connection with this transaction, Morgan Stanley is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Bridgestone and Simmons & Simmons is acting as legal advisor.
***END***
About Bridgestone in Europe, Middle East and Africa
We're the EMEA business of the world’s largest tyre and rubber company. For almost 90 years, we've been providing the confidence to get people and goods where they need to go as conveniently as possible, without interruption. That’s as true today as ever and means we’re trusted where it matters most: where the vehicle meets the road. We’re brilliant chemists, engineers and data scientists with some of Europe’s most advanced factories and world-beating technology. We’re uncompromisingly focused on providing real solutions to the real problems that drivers face on the road every day. We keep them going, no matter what.
We’re present in 38 countries in EMEA, employing more than 18,300 people. We have 15 tyre plants in the region, a major R&D centre, and a proving ground. We’re proud to be the largest R&D spender in our industry, investing over €790 million over the past year.
For more information about Bridgestone in EMEA, please visit www.bridgestone.eu and www.bridgestonenewsroom.eu . Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , Twitter and Linkedin .
About TomTom
TomTom is the leading independent location technology specialist, shaping mobility with highly accurate maps, navigation software, real-time traffic information and services.
To achieve our vision of a safer world, free of congestion and emissions, we create innovative technologies that keep the world moving. By combining our extensive experience with leading business and technology partners, we power connected vehicles, smart mobility and, ultimately, autonomous driving.
Headquartered in Amsterdam with offices in 37 countries, TomTom’s technologies are trusted by hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
For more information, please visit www.tomtom.com
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190121005510/en/
Contact:
Media information Bridgestone Liesbeth Denys Head of PR and Corporate Communications EMEA + 32 478 78 26 22 liesbeth.denys@bridgestone.eu
Media information TomTom Sandra Van Vreedendaal, VP Communications +31 6 15 83 69 69 tomtom.pr@tomtom.com
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Empire State Building Observation Deck to Debut ‘Olympus Awaits,’ An Immersive ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Takeover in the Heart of NYC, On Display from Nov. 16 – Dec. 4*12.11.2026 23:07:00 CET | Press release
The multi-level takeover includes a Throne Room, interactive photo opportunities, special lighting, and more The Empire State Building (ESB) is the gateway to Mount Olympus in Percy Jackson’s world, and now fans can experience the magic like never before. On Nov. 16, the Empire State Building Observation Deck (ESBOD) will unveil “Olympus Awaits,” a multi-level “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” takeover, in partnership with Disney+. The immersive takeover – included with every Observation Deck ticket – will feature an epic Throne Room, interactive photo opportunities, surprise giveaways, ESB x “Percy Jackson” merch, and more, available through Dec. 4, 2026.* This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261112442266/en/ Empire State Building Observation Deck to Debut ‘Olympus Awaits,’ An Immersive ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Takeover in the Heart of NYC, On Display from Nov. 16 – Dec. 4* “This immersive NYC experience
Clene Nanomedicine Partners with Veristat to Reduce Biostatistical Output Time by 80% for ALS New Drug Application12.11.2026 18:09:00 CET | Press release
Veristat’s InStat™ delivers submission-ready tables, listings, and figures (TLFs) in one week using validated statistical engines, shortening the critical path from database lock to submission VeristatTM, a global clinical research organization (CRO) and consultancy specializing in complex studies, announced that it has partnered with Clene Nanomedicine to cut the time to deliver biostatistical outputs for a pivotal ALS drug application submission by 80%. Veristat reduced the time from study data to validated tables, listings and figures (TLFs) from up to six weeks to just one week. Clene, a late-stage biotech company, leveraged Veristat’s recently launched InStat™ platform, the industry’s first zero-code, fully automated solution to accelerate clinical trial processes. Biostatistical TLFs sit on the critical path for submissions, yet most sponsors rely on antiquated processes that involve slow, manual workflows to produce them, making post-database lock one of the biggest bottlenecks
WHOOP Launches WHOOP Humans, the Most Verifiably Human Social Network12.11.2026 18:00:00 CET | Press release
New feature lets members follow friends and family, share performance and health insights, and celebrate life's moments together WHOOP, the human performance brand, today launched WHOOP Humans, a new feature that lets members follow friends and family, share fitness, health, and performance data they choose, and support each other's progress. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261112176779/en/ WHOOP Launches WHOOP Humans, the Most Verifiably Human Social Network For more than a decade, WHOOP has helped members better understand their own health and performance. Now, WHOOP Humans extends that experience beyond the individual, making it easier to celebrate achievements, encourage progress, and look out for the people who matter most. "In a world that's becoming increasingly artificial, we're building something deeply human,” said Will Ahmed, Founder and CEO of WHOOP. “This is the most verifiably human network ever
Integrated Hubs for Green Chemistry Research Aim to Transform How Chemicals and Materials Are Designed12.11.2026 17:00:00 CET | Press release
International network will investigate fundamental principles for creating safer, higher-performing chemicals and materials The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation today announced four Integrated Research Hubs to explore new frontiers in chemical design, from materials that respond to their surroundings to molecules designed for safety from the start. Bringing together global researchers across institutions and disciplines, the hubs will investigate fundamental principles that could enable new capabilities in chemicals and materials while improving performance and protecting human health and the environment. The research priorities emerged through extensive engagement with the scientific community to identify the questions that could transform what chemistry can achieve. Each hub will connect researchers across institutions around one of four green chemistry focus areas: Safer molecular design: Led by The George Washington University, this hub will combine artificial intelligence and qua
Roquette Highlights Scalable Excipient and Capsule Solutions for Regional and Global Pharmaceutical Markets at CPHI India 202612.11.2026 16:00:00 CET | Press release
Helping pharmaceutical manufacturers accelerate the journey from formulation to market through deep technical expertise, meaningful innovation, close collaboration and global capabilities Roquette, a global leader in plant-based ingredients and a leading provider of pharmaceutical excipients, will showcase its comprehensive portfolio of excipient and capsule solutions at CPHI India 2026, Hall 1, Booth 1I12 from November 23 to 25, 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261112803410/en/ Meet Roquette at CPHI India 2026, Hall 1, Booth 1I12 At the event, Roquette will demonstrate how it helps pharmaceutical manufacturers accelerate the journey from formulation to market with confidence. By combining technical expertise, trusted quality, meaningful innovation and close collaboration, Roquette helps customers address formulation, scale-up and manufacturing challenges across a broad range of pharmaceutical application
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom