Our History
We’re proud of our 115-year history of innovation, service, and quality.
- history
1900
Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Founded
On August 3rd, 1900, the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company was founded in Akron, Ohio. In the initial days, they introduced the solid rubber sidewire tires as one of the first Firestone products. On December 27th, Harvey S. Firestone Jr. was lifted into the air to pull the engine switch that put the first Firestone factory in operation
Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Founder Harvey Firestone
1903
Firestone Begins Manufacturing Tires
Firestone began manufacturing its own tires for the first time in 1903, and by late summer of the next year, they’d developed the first mechanically-fastened, straight-sided pneumatic automobile tire.
1906
Early History of Bridgestone Founder
At 17, Shojiro Ishibashi took over his family clothing business in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. While heading up that business, he specialized in tabi (Japanese traditional socks), reformed the apprentice system, implemented a standardized pricing system, and created Jika-tabi (socks with rubber soles used as work shoes), developing a rubber shoe business with overseas production. But Shojiro's s dream was to contribute to the nation of Japan above and beyond the work of his family business. He believed in the future of motorized transportation in Japan, and he was adamant about producing tires domestically.
Bridgestone Founder Shojiro Ishibashi
A home-made sign hangs over the entrance to the “Shimaya” tabi store
1906
Firestone Delivers 2000 Sets of Tires to Ford
Firestone delivered 2,000 sets of tires to the Ford Motor Company. It was the largest single order for tires places by the auto industry to date, and would start a business partnership that would last for decades.
Lifelong friends, Harvey S. Firestone (right), founder of The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Thomas Edison (center) and Henry Ford (left)
1909
Firestone Begins Manufacturing Tire Rims
1910
Firestone Opens Akron, Ohio Factory
In 1910, profits for The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company exceeded $1 million for the first time. By June 1910, Firestone’s new factory in Akron, Ohio opened. A few years later, Ohio became the hub of the tire industry, leading manufacturing of automobile castings and rubber inner tubes. It also had more rubber workers than any other state, with 63,637 people working at various tire companies. Firestone’s line of plants, which extended for more than a mile, was linked together by more than six miles of interplant railroad and a 70-ton locomotive. The company now had its own rail line to move raw materials and finished products.
1911
Firestone Racing Win
On May 30, 2011, Ray Harroun drove his Firestone-equipped Marmon Wasp to victory at the inaugural Indianapolis 500® mile race.
1920
William Howard Taft Visits Akron
Ex-President William Howard Taft arrived in Akron and visited with Harvey S. Firestone. It was one of the first indicators that Firestone was becoming an important figure in national affairs.
1922
Balloon Tire Production Begins
Factory production of the industry’s first low-pressure balloon tire began on April 5, 1922. This breakthrough was made possible by incorporating the gum-dipping process invented in early 1920, a method of insulating tire cords against internal heat. Balloon tires offered the average motorist extraordinary mileage for the time.
1923
Firestone Plantation Company
On October 14, 1923, Harvey S. Firestone announced the completion of an agreement with the Liberian Government by which the Firestone Plantation Company obtained a 99-year lease of one million acres of land suitable for growing rubber.
1923
Firestone Tire & Service Center
Firestone began initiating the one-stop service store program, eventually called the Firestone Tire & Service Center.
1930
Creation of the Bridgestone Company and Production of the First Tire
Using the capital accumulated from Jika-tabi and the rubber shoe business, Shojiro Ishibashi decided to make tires, which was an industry that didn't exist in Japan at that time.
Tire builders with the first Bridgestone tires (size: 29x4.50 4PR) produced on April 9th, 1930
1935
Firestone “Put the Farm on Rubber” Campaign
In the 1930s, the Depression hit the automobile industry and along with it, the tire business. Firestone sales began a five-year decline. To expand its market, Firestone developed the first practical low-pressure pneumatic tractor tire and began the “Put the Farm on Rubber” campaign. Just a few years later, Firestone’s sales enjoyed a remarkable turnaround. Sales, which began to decline in 1930, ended up at $121 million in 1935.
1938
Harvey S. Firestone Died
On February 7, 1938, Harvey S. Firestone died in his sleep at his vacation home in Miami Beach.
1940
Challenges Brought on by World War II
Wartime regulations were in effect throughout Japan, which resulted in nearly all of Bridgestone’s output being used to satisfy military demand. Although 1945 saw the end of armed conflict, the company had been directly impacted by the war and faced challenges in rebuilding their business operations. The Bridgestone Tokyo Headquarters building was destroyed during an aerial bombing raid, and all of its overseas assets were lost. Fortunately, the plants in Kurume and Yokohama escaped unscathed, and the company was able to restart production immediately after the war ended. The company overcame many obstacles and eventually emerged from the war as a stronger organization.
The Asahi plant (Saga Prefecture) moved its production from aircraft tires (wheel) to bicycles in the aftermath of the war, and this lead to the establishment of the Bridgestone Cycle Company.
1942
Firestone Starts Producing Synthetic Rubber
As war loomed in Europe and Asia, the possibility that natural rubber shipments from Africa and Asia would be cut off grew rapidly. To fill the need for a natural rubber substitute, Firestone started producing synthetic rubber. The company developed and began manufacturing special tires for combat vehicles and other military items, and by 1942, Firestone became the first to produce synthetic rubber in a government-owned plant. As the company turned 45, the company had made extraordinary contributions to the war effort, including synthetic rubber and a variety of products that could also be used in post-war times.
Heightened wartime research lead to the company’s first synthetic rubber. The need for synthetic rubber was intensified by the threat of war disrupting natural rubber shipments from Africa and Asia.
1950
Firestone Contributes to War Efforts
At the time of Firestone’s 50th anniversary, the war in Korea was underway and Firestone was very much a part of the war effort. In Fall River, Massachusetts, The Firestone Rubber & Tire Company made gas masks, and in Akron, Plant 3 was devoted to defense products—it was expanded to the point that Firestone was ranked as one of the principal producers of 57mm and 75mm recoilless rifles for ground forces. At the Los Angeles plant, Firestone began producing the Corporal guided missile for the government, and by 1953 Firestone’s defense business was at its peak with $1,029,492,035 in sales.
Corporal Guided Missile
1951
Bridgestone Technological Innovation and Mass Production
Bridgestone was the first company in Japan to begin selling rayon cord tires, and a five-year project to modernize production facilities was started. This year also saw another Bridgestone building opened in Kyobashi, Tokyo, which contained the Bridgestone Museum.
The completion of Bridgestone's headquarters in Kyobashi (current location), Tokyo
1953
Bridgestone Sales Surpass 10 Billion Yen
Sales surpassed 10 billion yen in 1953, placing Bridgestone at the top of tire industry in Japan, and celebrations were held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the company's establishment in Kurume in 1956.
1955
Firestone Becomes World’s Largest Rubber Producer
On May 31, 1955, Firestone became the world’s largest rubber producer, producing at a rate of one million pounds of rubber per day. By 1959, the company had a total of 71 plants in 19 countries.
1959
Bridgestone Begins Selling Nylon Tires
1960
Bridgestone Opens New Plant in Tokyo
To better meet the needs of an expanding automotive market, a new plant opened in Tokyo in 1960. Additions were built onto the Tokyo plant in 1962 to house the new Technical Center, and a progressive system of research and development was established.
1960
Firestone Featured in Dun’s Review
In September of 1960, Dun’s Review, a business magazine, picked Firestone as one of the 10 best managed companies in the nation.
1961
Bridgestone Listed on the Japanese Stock Exchange
Bridgestone was listed on the Japanese stock exchange, and adopted a new management structure with Shojiro Ishibashi as the chairman, and Kanichiro Ishibashi as the president. As part of the management transition, the company adopted the Deming Plan, which involves overall quality control activities.
Kanichiro Ishibashi, Bridgestone President beginning 1961
1961
Firestone Acquires Dayton Tire
1964
Tire Innovations From Firestone
Firestone introduced and began producing radial ply passenger tires for replacement use on lightweight American and European cars, as well as the “Super Sports Wide Oval” tire. Called the “Shape of the Future,” the tire was readily accepted by auto manufacturers as original equipment on many 1967 high-performance cars. This concept of wide, low-profile tires for high-performance cars continued throughout the century.
1965
Firestone Hits Annual Sales Record
Firestone celebrated its 65th anniversary with a record $1.45 billion in sales across 23 countries, the highest sales record in its history. At that point, the company made and marketed 3,600 types and sizes of tires as well as 2,000 other products in the fields of rubber, metals, plastics, synthetics, textiles and chemicals. Firestone later also became one of the nation’s major seatbelt suppliers.
1965
Bridgestone Opens Plant in Singapore
The company opened its first overseas plant since the end of WWII in Singapore.
1967
Bridgestone Tire Company of America Established
For Bridgestone, the 60s was an era of overseas expansion that included the establishment of Bridgestone Tire Company of America in 1967 to serve as the company's U.S. sales headquarters. On the product front, 1967 saw the sale of its first passenger-vehicle radial tire, the RD-10.
1968
The Bridgestone company motto was written by Shojiro Ishibashi
1968
Bridgestone Earns Deming Prize
Bridgestone earned the prestigious Deming Prize for excellence in quality management.
1969
Bridgestone Begins Production in Thailand
1970
Firestone Setbacks
Now ranked 37 in the top 50 American corporations, the diversification of Firestone had accelerated to areas ranging from coated fabrics to footwear. But the 1970s brought some significant setbacks for Firestone. On Oct. 17, 1973, Arab nations began an oil embargo against the United States in an attempt to raise prices and alter U.S. support of Israel. This began a series of consequences which impacted Firestone and other American tire makers for years to come—people started driving less and not as far, and the demand increased for smaller European and Japanese cars. In 1975, despite years of success, Firestone officially stepped out of motorsports. A few years later, in the biggest product recall in the nation’s history at the time, Firestone recalled 400,000 Firestone 500 steel-belted radial tires at a cost of $148.3 million.
1971
Bridgestone Builds Plants in Japan
The oil shock of the early ‘70's brought about economic stagnation in Japan. Despite these challenges, during this period Bridgestone was placing even more emphasis on establishing its own technology for the manufacture of radial tires and was building new tire plants in Japan.
1976
Bridgestone Expands Overseas
Bridgestone actively continued to expand overseas. In addition to beginning production in Indonesia and Iran in 1976, the company invested in a Taiwanese tire manufacturer and purchased a tire plant.
1976
Shojiro Ishibashi Died
During this period of growth and expansion, the Bridgestone family of companies also lost its founder— Shojiro Ishibashi died on Sept. 11, 1976.
1978
Bridgestone Introduced the Super Filler Radial to the Market
1979
Bridgestone Released the High-Performance POTENZA Radial Tire
RE47, the first of the POTENZA high-performance radial tires
1980
Bridgestone Purchases Plant in Australia
Bridgestone purchased a plant for manufacturing tires and diversified products in Australia.
1981
Bridgestone Purchases a Tire Plant in Tennessee
On March 1, 1981, Bridgestone celebrated its 50th anniversary. The company set its sights on strengthening its homebase while simultaneously expanding overseas to hopefully become of the world's top three manufacturers of rubber products. As part of this strategy Bridgestone purchased a tire plant in Tennessee from the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, which became the company's first manufacturing plant in North America. Bridgestone began production of truck and bus radial tires at the plant in 1983.
1984
Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. was renamed to Bridgestone Corporation
1988
Bridgestone Merges with the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
In May 1988, Bridgestone acquired The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, which transformed Bridgestone into one of the world's largest tire and rubber companies. The acquisition of Firestone gave Bridgestone a large number of production sites in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and other locations. Bridgestone also began operations in Turkey under a joint management agreement in 1988.
1992
New European and American Headquarters Locations
The company's successful integration efforts with Firestone led to strong profits in 1992 and the establishment of a new European and American headquarters location for Bridgestone.
1995
Bridgestone Re-enters Firestone into the Indy 500
To enhance brand awareness and build on Firestone's legacy of excellence in motorsports, Bridgestone re-entered the Firestone brand into CART IndyCar® Series competition and Indianapolis 500 Mile Race®. As of 2015, Firestone has shod 66 Indy 500 winners – more victories than all other tire manufacturers combined.
Scott Pruett wins the Michigan 500
1997
Bridgestone Enters Formula 1 Racing
The Bridgestone brand entered Formula 1 racing, which is the one of the most popular and technologically-advanced forms of racing worldwide.
1998
Global Expansion
New production facilities were established in Thailand, India, Poland, China, the United States and other countries as Bridgestone continued to expand its business globally.
1998
Bridgestone Americas Opens First New Passenger Tire Plant in U.S.
Bridgestone Americas began operations at its first new passenger tire facility in the U.S., located in Graniteville, S.C.
2000
Bridgestone Corporation Builds Chemical and Industrial Products Technical Center
The Chemical and Industrial Products Technical Center was built inside the plant in Yokohama, Japan to serve as the technology and innovation hub for the company's growing Diversified Products business.
2000
Firestone Centennial: A Legend, a Century, a Celebration.
Bridgestone commemorated a century of success for the iconic Firestone brand—celebrating the progress from plows to rubber and rims to present-day passenger, commercial, agricultural and race tires as well as a wide array of diversified products boasting the Firestone name.
Firestone Centennial: A Legend. A Century. A Celebration.
2001
Firestone becomes the Official Tire of the Verizon IndyCar® Series
Firestone became the Official Tire of the Verizon IndyCar® Series and the Indianapolis 500 for the 2002 season and beyond.
2003
Bridgestone Americas consolidates Nashville offices into one location
From 1992 until 2003, Bridgestone Americas’ corporate and tire operations worked in four office locations on the east side of Nashville, Tenn. In 2003, all offices combined into one building.
535 Marriott Drive in Nashville, Tenn.
2006
Bridgestone hosts World Golf Championships- Bridgestone Invitational
In 2006, Bridgestone first hosted the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational which is one of four World Golf Championships tournaments conducted annually by the PGA TOUR. Held at Akron, Ohio’s famed Firestone Country Club, this premier event showcases the world’s best golfers while making positive economic and charitable impacts on the NE Ohio community each year.
2006 World Golf Championships- Bridgestone Invitational Bridgestone Invitational Trophy
2007
Bridgestone Acquires Bandag
Bridgestone Americas acquired Bandag, Incorporated, a tire retreader based in the United States. This allowed Bridgestone to provide truck and bus tire customers worldwide with leading technology and a total tire solution.
Members of Bridgestone Bandag, LLC. Shot in front of the Bandag learning center in Iowa, USA.
2007
Bridgestone opens two new tire production facilities in Latin America
In 2007, Bridgestone opened two new passenger and light truck tire production facilities in Latin America. An 18-acre plant was constructed on 247 acres in Bahia, Brazil. This paired with the 430,500-square-foot plant that opened in Monterrey, Mexico marked the 47th tire plant of the global Bridgestone Group.
Monterrey, Mexico passenger tire plant
Bahia, Brazil passenger tire plant
2008
Bridgestone begins its NFL sponsorship
Bridgestone began its National Football League® sponsorship with the halftime show at Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Arizona. The sponsorship was later renewed and evolved into an integrated marketing sponsorship that designates the Bridgestone brand as the “Official Tire of the National Football League.”
2009
First Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® begins naming-rights partnership
Bridgestone began its naming-rights partnership with the National Hockey League’s marquee outdoor game. The inaugural Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic was played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks.
2010
Bridgestone Arena naming-rights and marketing partnership
Bridgestone entered into a multi-year naming-rights and marketing partnership with the Nashville Predators® of the National Hockey League® and Powers Management for the arena in downtown Nashville. It is known as Bridgestone Arena.
2011
80th anniversary of Bridgestone founding, release of Bridgestone Essence
Bridgestone Corporation unveiled a new Bridgestone symbol and a new brand tagline and announced a refinement of its corporate philosophy, “The Bridgestone Essence”, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Bridgestone Group’s founding. This enhancement of the Bridgestone symbol and tagline is part of an integrated strategy to further strengthen Bridgestone brand globally.
The Bridgestone Essence
2013
25th Anniversary of the Bridgestone-Firestone merger
Bridgestone celebrates the 25th anniversary of merging with Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, establishing itself as the world’s largest tire and rubber company.
25th Anniversary Celebration Dinner with Bridgestone Americas CEO, Gary Garfield; Bridgestone Corp. CEO, Masaaki Tsuya; and Bridgestone Americas CAO and CRO, Christine Karbowiak
2013
Bridgestone Americas Expands its Aiken, S.C. Passenger Tire Plant
Bridgestone completed a two-phase expansion at its passenger and light truck tire operations in Aiken County, S.C., increasing the plant’s footprint to 2.4 million square feet and resulting in a rated production capacity of 13.4 million tires annually.
2014
Bridgestone Winter Classic reaches record-breaking viewership
The Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic reached a record-breaking 8.2 million North American viewers; the largest national audience in the U.S. and Canada, and it hosted 105,491 fans at the game – the largest crowd ever to see an NHL hockey game at one time. It was named the Sports Business Journal’s 2014 Sports Event of the Year.
2014
Bridgestone Americas Opens First Giant Off Road Radial Tire Plant
Bridgestone Americas opened its first giant off road radial tire plant in August 2014. Based in Aiken County, S.C., the 1.5 million-square-foot manufacturing facility produces various off road radial tire products used to equip heavy haul trucks in mining and aggregates applications.
2014
DriveGuard Run-Flat tire released
In 2014, Bridgestone revolutionized the tire industry with the launch of its DriveGuard tire line. Bridgestone DriveGuard is the first full run-flat replacement tire line available for coupes, sedans and wagons not originally equipped with run-flat technology.
2015
Bridgestone Arena is Arena of the Year
Bridgestone Arena was named the 2014 Arena of the Year by Pollstar Magazine. It’s the first time that Bridgestone Arena has taken home top venue honors after being nominated 11 previous times, including nominations in each of the eight years prior.
2017
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