31.   So Bridgestone might pounce on Pirelli, even though it would do better to buy a low-cost tire maker in Eastern Europe.

32.   Some tire makers, Firestone in particular, were late in adapting to the technology, forfeiting business to new entrants.

33.   Such companies include Caterpillar, the tractor maker based in Peoria, Ill., and Goodyear, the tire maker in Akron, Ohio.

34.   That helped corporate lawyers persuade judges to dismiss numerous lawsuits against automakers and tire makers, the two men said.

35.   That union held a strong grip on the U.S. tire and rubber industry for decades before it lost funds and membership during strikes at Bridgestone and other tire makers.

36.   The difference reflected the contrasting interests of automakers and tire makers.

37.   The foam rubber that Corobannsho uses, for example, is based on the principle developed by the tire maker Bridgestone for its studless tire.

38.   The decline, however, was partially offset by a rise in several stocks preferred by foreigners, including Bank Rozwoju Eksportu and tire makers Debica and Stomil Olsztyn.

39.   The government does not collect the data and tire makers do not share their data on their own brands.

40.   The tire maker cited a report that its lawyers had commissioned from Dr. Dennis A. Guenther, a professor of mechanical engineering at Ohio State University.