Bridgestone is a global leader in the tyre industry. Members of the Bridgestone Group supply a vast range of tyres in the Americas, in Europe, in Japan, in every region on the planet.
Customer expectations of tyre performance vary greatly among regions and among vehicle applications. All customers, however, demand and deserve a maximum of safety. The Bridgestone Group strive ceaselessly to meet that demand.
In other product categories, monorail trains speed passengers safely to their destinations on Bridgestone tyres. They are the world leader in the largest sizes of tyres for earthmoving equipment. They are a leader, too, in Tyres for agricultural machinery, for aircraft and for motorcycles and scooters.
Technology
Bridgestone is a technology-intensive company that invests heavily in research and development programs. Those programs are highly productive, yielding important improvements and completely new products in automotive and non-automotive applications.
Recent advances in tyre technology at Bridgestone include improvements in runflat Tyres. Those tyres continue to function safely for a specified distance at up to a specified maximum speed after a loss of air pressure. In another tyre-related advance, we are developing integrated suspension modules with two leading manufacturers of brakes and shock absorbers.
A high priority for us in diversified products is developing energy- and information-related technologies. Energy storage was an early emphasis for us in diversified technologies, and we recently achieved a breakthrough in lithium batteries: an additive that renders the electrolyte solution non-flammable without affecting battery performance. That additive, Phoslyte, could make the power of lithium batteries viable in large applications, such as hybrid cars and electric cars.
In information technologies, we are developing electronic display technologies. Our engineers recently created the high-fluidity Electro Liquid Powder for reflection-type displays. Meanwhile, we supply ceramic components of ultrapure silicon carbide for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Future advances in all product categories will depend increasingly on progress at the leading edge of scientific understanding. We are nurturing capabilities in nanotechnology and other pertinent disciplines with an eye to developing new materials for Tyres and for diversified products.
History
1930 Tyre division at Ishibashi family's footwear company, makes first Tyres in Kurume, on Kyushu.
1931 Shojiro Ishibashi establishes Bridgestone Tyre Co., Ltd., in Kurume
1934 Full-scale Tyre production begins at newly completed plant in Kurume
1935 Bridgestone begins mass-producing golf balls
1937 Moves headquarters to Tokyo Begins producing V-belts and rubber hoses; also begins making prototypes of antivibration products
1942 Changes name to Nippon Tyre Co., Ltd.
1951 Changes name back to Bridgestone Tyre Co., Ltd. Completes new headquarters building in Tokyo
1953 Becomes Japan's largest Tyre manufacturer as annual sales reach ¥10 billion
1956 Marks 25th anniversary; commemorative events include Ishibashi Cultural Center in Kurume and donating it to city
1961 Makes initial public offering of shares in May, lists shares on Tokyo and Osaka stock exchanges in October
1962 Develops Japan's first steel radial Tyres for trucks and buses Completes technical center at Tokyo Plant
1964 Develops Japan's first radial Tyres for passenger cars
1965 Begins producing Tyres in Malaysia ─ company's first overseas production since World War II
1966 Jingle composed for Bridgestone television commercials becomes nationwide sensation
1967 Establishes formal guidelines for affiliated independent retailers Establishes U.S. marketing subsidiary in Los Angeles
1968 Expresses corporate motto formally as "Serving society with superior quality" Earns prestigious Deming Prize for exemplary quality control
1970 Sponsors first Bridgestone Golf Tournament (now called Bridgestone Open)
1976 Bridgestone founder Shojiro Ishibashi dies
1982 Opens first Cockpit retail outlet for Tyres and car accessories, near Tokyo Introduces Japan's first studless snow Tyre
1983 Acquires first U.S. plant by purchasing Tyre plant in Tennessee from The Firestone Tyre & Rubber Company
1984 Undertakes sweeping corporate branding program Changes corporate name to Bridgestone Corporation and adopts new corporate logo mark
1988 Acquires Firestone ─ second largest Tyre manufacturer in United States ─ for $2.6 billion
1989 Integrates North American operations as Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
1990 Establishes Bridgestone/Firestone Europe S.A. to coordinate European operations
1993 Places all sporting goods operations under management of subsidiary Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
1994 Integrates European marketing and logistics under Bridgestone/Firestone Europe
1995 Returns Firestone brand to Indy car racing
1997 Enters Formula One (F1) competition
1998 Bridgestone-equipped F1 competitors capture drivers' and constructors' season championships
1999 Absorbs subsidiary Bridgestone Metalpha Corporation, which produces steel Tyre cord
2000 Completes large additions to flagship technical center for Tyres at Tokyo Plant and to flagship technical center for diversified products at Yokohama Plant
2001 Opens corporate museum, Bridgestone Today, at Tokyo Plant Issues Bridgestone Way, which comprises spirit, mission, management stance, pledges, and guidelines Americas subsidiary, Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., reorganizes operations under newly established holding company, Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding, Inc.
2002 Founder Shojiro Ishibashi inducted into Japan Automotive Hall of Fame
Issues management vision, brand vision, and environmental charter
Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding changes name to Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. Bridgestone/Firestone Europe changes name to Bridgestone Europe NV/SA Issues declaration of comprehensive commitment to safety and restructures safety-assurance organization
2004 Establishes Bridgestone (China) Investment Co., Ltd., in Shanghai to manage Tyre operations in China
2005 Launches New brand "Playz" for Japan Domestic Market for the first time in 24 years
2006 Founder Shojiro Ishibashi inducted into The Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Mich., U.S.A. Adopts the Organization Reform with three factors, Strategic Business Units, Global Management Platform and Global Head Office.
