Bridgestone Golf history

1934 Full-fledged tire production begins at newly-constructed Kurume Plant.

1953 Sales surpass 10 billion yen, as Bridgestone assumes position of industry leader in Japan.

1961 Bridgestone was listed on the Tokyo and Osaka stock exchanges.

1965 The Malaysia Plant, Bridgestone's first postwar overseas plant, begins operating.

It was not until 1972 that the company's involvement in golf expanded into the manufacture of clubs.

1976 Founder Shojiro Ishibashi passes away.

1989 Firestone announced plans to merge with Bridgestone United StatesA. Inc., to change its name to Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.

1993 Businesses under the jurisdiction of Bridgestone's Sports Division transferred to Bridgestone Sports, with production and sales of sporting goods consolidated into the latter company.

1995 Firestone returns to Indy car racing and the Indianapolis 500® for the first time in 20 years.

1999 Bridgestone absorbs a producer of steel tire cords; Bridgestone Metalpha Corp.

2007 Bridgestone acquires Bandag, Inc., one of the world's leading tire retread businesses.

2011 To mark the 80th anniversary of the Bridgestone Group's founding, Bridgestone refined the Bridgestone symbol and its tagline is revised to "Your Journey, Our Passion."