Firestone Metal Products history

In 1910, profits for The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company exceeded $1 million for the first time.

1911 Firestone Racing Win On May 30, 1911, Ray Harroun drove his Firestone-equipped Marmon Wasp to victory at the inaugural Indianapolis 500® mile race.

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.

Tire builders with the first Bridgestone tires (size: 29x4.50 4PR) produced on April 9th, 1930

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 United States sales headquarters.

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.

In addition to beginning production in Indonesia and Iran in 1976, the company invested in a Taiwanese tire manufacturer and purchased a tire plant.

1978 Bridgestone Introduced the Super Filler Radial to the Market

1980 Bridgestone Purchases Plant in Australia Bridgestone purchased a plant for manufacturing tires and diversified products in Australia.

1984 Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. was renamed to Bridgestone Corporation

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.

1998 Bridgestone Americas Opens First New Passenger Tire Plant in United States Bridgestone Americas began operations at its first new passenger tire facility in the United States, located in Graniteville, S.C.

In 1999, Firestone Building Products introduced its thermoplastic roofing membrane UltraPly TPO. That same year, its first TPO manufacturing plant opened in Wellford, South Carolina (USA)

Firestone became the Official Tire of the Verizon IndyCar® Series and the Indianapolis 500 for the 2002 season and beyond.

In 2007, Bridgestone opened two new passenger and light truck tire production facilities in Latin America.

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.

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.

Bridgestone launched the all-new Firestone Champion tire with Fuel-Fighter Technology in 2016.