Logo of Bridgestone
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Native name
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Kabushiki-gaisha Burijisuton |
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Public company KK | |
Traded as |
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Industry | Auto and Truck parts |
Founded | Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan (1 January 1931 ) |
Founder | Shojiro Ishibashi |
Headquarters | Kyobashi, Tokyo, Japan |
Area served
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Worldwide |
Key people
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Masaaki Tsuya (Chairman and CEO) |
Products | Motor vehicle tires |
Revenue | ¥3.024 trillion (2011) |
¥191.32 billion (2011) | |
Profit | ¥102.97 billion (2011) |
Total assets | ¥2.677 trillion (2011) |
Total equity | ¥1.165 trillion (2011) |
Number of employees
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139,822 |
Subsidiaries | Firestone Tire and Rubber Company |
Website | www |
Bridgestone Corporation (株式会社ブリヂストン Kabushiki-gaisha Burijisuton?) (: , OTC Pink: ) is a multinational auto and truck parts manufacturer founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (石橋正二郎 Ishibashi Shōjirō?) in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese.
As of 2015, the company is the largest manufacturer of tires in the world, slightly ahead of Michelin.
Bridgestone Group had 141 production facilities in 24 countries as of 2005.
The very first Bridgestone tire was produced on 9 April 1930, by the Japanese "Tabi" Socks Tyre Division (actually made jika-tabi). One year later on 1 March 1931, the founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, made the "Tabi" Socks Tyre Division independent and established the Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. "Bridgestone" was named after the name of the founder, Shojiro Ishibashi (Ishi = Stone, Bashi = Bridge).
Foregoing dependence on European and North American technology, the Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. set its eyes on manufacturing tires based largely on Japanese technology. The fledgling company experienced many difficulties in the areas of technology, production, and sales in the early days. Eventually, improvements were achieved in quality and manufacturing processes which led to the business rapidly expanding in domestic and overseas markets.