One of man’s greatest and oldest inventions is the wheel, there are numerous inventions in which we use the wheel or similar constructs based on the original invention.
It’s safe to assume that all the technological advancement we have made over the years was due to the wheel and as time progressed the technology improved and with that the applications of technology,
until the time of automobiles came and we saw the invention of the tire. We all have some sort of automobiles and if we don’t we use public transportation that uses both the wheel and tire.
Every day we see brand new motorcycles and cars coming out and all of that wouldn’t have possible if there were no tires built in the past.
One of the biggest manufacturers of tires in the world, Bridgestone Tires started out in 1931 in Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
Innovated by European and American technology they started manufacturing tires that were solely based on Japanese technology.
Though they didn’t have much success in the start as they had trouble with technology and production, but as improvements in quality and manufacturing were achieved the sales started growing and the company saw good business.
But when World War 2 happened nearly all of the company’s production was being used to satisfy military needs, as conflict ended up with heavy losses as Tokyo headquarters was lost along with overseas assets.
Fortunately the factories in Kurume and Yokohama survived and the company resumed production immediately.
Bridgestone was the first company to produce rayon cord tires in 1951 in Japan and in 1959 they came out with Nylon tires.
The company was listed on the stock exchange on 1961, unleashed the Radial tire RD10 in 1967. 1960s was also an important time for the company as it started expanding overseas in countries like Singapore, Thailand and USA.
In 1978 the company made its Super Filler Radial tire and in 1979 the company unleashed its high-performance POTENZA radial tire. In 1988 Bridgestone purchased the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Akron Ohio and in 1990 both companies amalgamated.
Dynamics of a Bridgestone Tire
Over the years Bridgestone has been involved in many activities in addition to manufacturing, it has been investing in numerous motorsports and developing prototypes for them for events like Formula 2, Formula 3, Japanese Grand Prix, etc.
It has been the sole tire provider for MotoGP since 2009 till 2015. There are numerous types of tires available from the company to the general population for different purposes ranging from everyday use, to truck use to touring, to sports and so on and so forth.
Currently, Bridgestone is the top most manufacturers of tires in the world.
That was a short history of the tire company Bridgestone, next time you go to buy some tires for your vehicle you will know a little bit more about the products in the market, if anything its good knowledge that you can use to impress your friends and colleagues at work.
Remember to always take care of your tires, and drive safe.