Bridgestone has announced that its Off-the-Road Tire Plant in Bloomington, Illinois,  achieved the highest level in the Caterpillar Supplier Quality Excellence Process – Platinum.

This represents a significant milestone for Bridgestone after the Bloomington Plant received Gold Level in the Caterpillar SQEP Certification for the previous two years.

“We are committed to delivering world-class products to our customers,” said Eugene Johnston, Executive Director, Original Equipment Manufacturers Global Support, Bridgestone Americas. “This recognition is a reflection of our commitment and a testament to our dedicated employees in our Bloomington Plant, Americas Technical Center, Customer Support and Logistics and Supply Chain Management, all of whom deliver quality and innovation through their work in product, engineering, and manufacturing performance, to customers like Caterpillar.”

The SQEP Certification demonstrates the strong values and ethical principles of Bridgestone in conducting business, as well as the company’s commitment to collaborate with Caterpillar to implement a culture for “zero-defects” across the supply chain. Recognition levels of Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, reflected in order of increasing difficulty, distinguish outstanding supplier quality performance.

Caterpillar’s SQEP Certification was created to recognize a supplier’s dedication to providing superior quality and only is awarded to suppliers who demonstrate world-class performance on an ongoing basis. Each year, suppliers are evaluated with increasingly strict criteria for distinguishing outstanding supplier quality, exceptional service, and shipping performance.

Since 1965, the Bloomington Plant has produced bias and radial off-the-road tires for mining and construction applications. The plant has received numerous awards, including the Illinois American Legion Employer of the Year for hiring veterans and a U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s 2017 Improvement Award for achievements in worker safety and health.