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Bridgestone Corporation (株式会社ブリヂストン, Kabushiki-gaisha Burijisuton) (TYO: 5108) is Japanese company 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 literal translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese. It is currently the second largest tire manufacturer in the world, next to Michelin, and is Japan's largest tire manufacturer.
The name Bridgestone was supposedly used because of fear that Americans would not respond well to a foreign company.
After World War II Bridgestone started manufacturing motorcycles, but its main income was from supplying tires to its rival motorcycle makers such as Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha and it was later decided to cease motorcycle manufacturing.
In 1988 it acquired American tire manufacturer Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.
Bridgestone supplies tires to the Ferrari, Williams, Toyota, Super Aguri and Midland Formula One teams. From 2008 to 2010 Bridgestone will become the sole tyre supplier to the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, because Michelin will conclude its Formula One tyre program at the end of the 2006 season, all teams will use Bridgestone tyres for the 2007 season.
The Bridgestone Cycle Co., Ltd. offers bicycles under its own brand and under the Anchor brand. Their initial entry into the American market was as manufacturers of mountain bicycles, whose philosophy was traditionalists eschewing the latest fads and styles; although their products were viewed as well-made, this did not provide the desired market penetration.
External links
Main
- Template:Ja icon Bridgestone Corporation Japanese Homepage
- Template:En icon Bridgestone Motorsport English Homepage
- Template:En icon Bridgestone Corporation English Homepage
- Template:En icon Bridgestone Cycle Co.,Ltd. Homepage
- Template:Ja icon Anchor Bikes Homepage
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