Bridgestone Corporation (株式会社ブリヂストン, Kabushiki gaisha Burijisuton) is a Japanese multinational manufacturing company founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (1889–1976) in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.

Eventually, improvements were achieved in quality and manufacturing processes which led to the business rapidly expanding in domestic and overseas markets.

[12] In 1951, Bridgestone was the first company in Japan to begin selling rayon cord tires, and a five–year project to modernize production facilities was started.

Sales surpassed ten billion yen in 1953, placing Bridgestone at the top of the tire industry in Japan, and celebrations were held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the company's foundation in Kurume.

The sale of nylon tires was started in 1959, and work forged ahead with the construction of the new Tokyo plant, which was opened in 1960, in order to cope with the fast–expanding market for motorization.

[13] Also, additions were built onto the Tokyo plant in 1962 to house the new Technical Centre, and a progressive system of research and development was established.

At the start of the period of Japan's economic stagnation, brought about by the first oil shock, the company was placing even more emphasis on establishing its own technology for the manufacture of radial tires, and it was also at this time that further domestic plants were constructed and fitted out.

At the same time, the company initiated activities to strengthen its home base that supported overseas expansion strategy with the aim of being ranked as one of the world's top three manufacturers of rubber products.

[18] Beginning as the SA Rubber Mills in 1939, Bridgestone took over the Australian plants which were at that time operated by the Uniroyal Tyre Company in 1980.

Bandag Manufacturing Pty Limited[20] has 35 franchised dealers across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Nouméa.

At present there are national headquarters in the following locations: Vienna, Austria; Prague, Czech Republic; Hinnerup, Denmark; Vantaa, Finland; Fresnes, France; Bad Homburg, Germany; Athens, Greece; Budapest, Hungary; Dublin, Ireland; Milan, Italy; Moerdijk, Netherlands; Oslo, Norway; Warsaw, Poland; Alcochete, Portugal; Madrid, Spain; Sundsvall, Sweden; Spreitenbach, Switzerland; Istanbul, Turkey and Warwick, UK.

There are no Bridgestone factories in the United Kingdom but there is a technical bay at which tyres returned by dissatisfied customers are inspected in Coventry.

The companies also produce air springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber and industrial fibers and textiles and operate the world's largest chain of automotive tire and service centers.

[citation needed] In November 2010, ASA Automotive Systems Inc. was selected by the Consumer Tire Sales division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC (BATO) as the software provider for their North American consumer dealers to supply the industry's leading 'All–in–One' Point–of–Sale, Accounting and Inventory shop management software.

The letters of GCR reflect the last names of the original company founders Balie Griffith, Harold Crawford and Perry Rose.

[25] In 2015, Bridgestone Americas Inc. signed a deal giving its dealers the option to install digital air calibration machines from Excel Tire Gauge Inc. in their stores.

[27] In April 2020, due to demand by essential service providers during COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee, Bridgestone Americas announced plans to restart its North American commercial tire plants as well as its North American Firestone Industrial Products and Firestone Building Products manufacturing facilities.

The Japanese company decided to supply tires for Formula One in 1995, backed–up by the CEO Yoichiro Kaizaki, aiming to improve Bridgestone's name value in the European market which was greatly inferior compared with their archrivals, Michelin.

Though it was scheduled to enter the championship in the 1998 season at first, this was brought forward to 1997 because the engineering section led by Hirohide Hamashima had quickly advanced development.

Thus, Hiroshi Yasukawa, the general manager of Motorsport Department, also made the best use of the experience and networks in Europe since the Bridgestone's European F2 era (1981–1984) and constructed logistics for Formula One at once.

[31] In the 1980s and 1990s, Bridgestone provided tires to the Le Mans sport prototypes of teams Nismo and TOM's, backed by Japanese automobile manufacturers Nissan and Toyota respectively.

The brand left international sports car racing in 2000, but remains as one of the main suppliers in the Super GT series.

Bridgestone supply Multi–Rubber Bearings for installing in foundations to protect buildings from earthquakes, inflatable rubber dams for managing waterways (no longer manufactured – 2008), marine fenders for protecting wharves, additives for pavement, waterproofing sheet, rubberized ceiling and roofing materials, panel tanks for storing water, bath fixtures and residential flooring, air and water systems.

Bridgestone's line of products for electronic equipment includes precision rollers for office machines and functional films for solar cells and plasma displays.

In announcing the merger, Bridgestone's president in Tokyo explained: Higher fuel prices are prompting customers to cut costs [by using retreads].

The unit was renamed Bridgestone Bandag, LLC and Saul Solomon was appointed to the position of chairman, CEO and President.

[41] Bridgestone is currently building frames in Japan for keirin track racing under Nihon Jitensha Shinkokai approved standards.

[57][58] In September 2011, Bridgestone pleaded guilty to bribing Latin American officials and bid rigging, and agreed to pay a $28 million fine to resolve criminal charges.

[59] In February 2014 Bridgestone agreed to a $425 million fine imposed by the United States Department of Justice for price fixing and bid rigging in the automotive parts industry.

This resulted in the theft of company data, manufacturing plants in North and South America to be closed, and production to be halted.