Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bridgestone Firestone, LLC | |
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| Type of Company | Subsidiary of Bridgestone |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1900 (Akron, Ohio) |
| Headquarters | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Key people | Mark A. Emkes, CEO |
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Products | Tires |
| Revenue |  $2.09 billion USD (2004) |
| Employees | 23,000 |
| Website | www.firestone.com |
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company was a pioneer in the mass production of tires. Firestone used this relationship to become the original equipment supplier of Ford Motor Company automobiles, and was also active in the replacement market.
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[edit] History
Firestone was originally based in Akron, Ohio, also the hometown of its archrival, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The company initiated operations in 1900 with 12 employees.[1] Together, Firestone and Goodyear were the largest suppliers of automotive tires in North America for over three-quarters of a century.
From the start, Firestone worked relentlessly to improve quality and meet the needs of his customers. His efforts and integrity paid off when in 1906 Firestone tires were chosen by Henry Ford for the first mass-produced automobiles in America.
To put Firestone tires to the ultimate test and publicize their superior performance, Firestone began what would become a legendary history in car racing by entering and winning the first Indy 500. Cars driven on Firestone tires would go on to win more than 50 checkered flags at the fabled brickyard.
In 1919 The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Canada was incorporated in Hamilton, Ontario and in 1922 The first Canadian-made tire rolled off the line on September 15.
In 1957 Firestone develops a high-speed race tire to withstand speeds of 190 miles per hour for the first running of the International 500-mile race at Monza, Italy, and in 1968 Graham hill becomes the first driver to win the FIA Formula 1 championship on Firestone tires.
In 1979 Firestone pioneers the concept of the "temporary spare" tire.
When John J. Nevin became president in 1980, Firestone began selling off unprofitable plants and began buying back the company's stock. Firestone boosted the number of its automotive repair shops, which account for nearly 20% of the company's $3.9 billion in 1988 annual sales. The company also relocated its headquarters away from Akron, Ohio -- the traditional home of the nation's rubber and tire-making industry -- to Chicago.
The company was purchased by the Japanese tire manufacturer Bridgestone in 1988 The combined Bridgestone/Firestone North American operations are now based in Nashville, Tennessee and the The Bridgestone Blizzak winter tire was introduced to the Firestone Range of products.
In 1995 Firestone Tires were re-introduced to Indy 500 and in 1997 Arie Luyendyk wins his second Indy 500. The win is Firestone's 50th at the brickyard. Bridgestone wins its first F1 world championship in only its second season as Mika Hakkinen captures the driver's title in 1998. His team, McLaren, wins the constructor's championship. Bridgestone/Firestone announces its newest technology, UNI-T AQ (Advanced Quality). This technology helps tires perform better, even in a worn condition.
Bridgestone/Firestone opens its most technologically advanced tire plant in Aiken, South Carolina in 1999 and the Bridgestone/Racing School moves to Mosport Ontario and is renamed the Bridgestone/Firestone Racing School.
For 35 years, the company sponsored the radio and television show The Voice of Firestone.
[edit] 100 Years Company History Timeline[2]
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1868 | Harvey S. Firestone is born on a farm near Columbiana, Ohio. |
| 1895 | Firestone marries Idabelle Smith. |
| 1900 | Firestone incorporates The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in Ohio. The company begins selling tires manufactured by others. |
| 1903 | The first set of rubber tires is manufactured at the Firestone factory in Akron, Ohio. |
| 1904 | The company develops the first mechanically fastened, straight-sided pneumatic tire. |
| 1906 | In its first original equipment sale, Harvey S. Firestone sells 2,000 sets of tires to Henry Ford. This is the largest order of tires for the time. |
| 1907 | The company develops the "demountable rim" making the repair and replacement of tires easier. |
| 1908 | Firestone introduces the first non-skid tire. |
| 1909 | Firestone begins manufacturing tire rims. |
| 1910 | Firestone profits exceed $1 million for the first time. |
| 1911 | The inaugural Indianapolis 500 is won on Firestone tires by Ray Harroun. |
| 1918 | Firestone begins the pioneering "Ship by Truck" movement. |
| 1919 | The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company of Canada is organized. |
| 1920 | The company perfects a method of insulating tire cords against internal heat by a process known as "gum-dipping." |
| 1922 | The company develops the industry's first low-pressure balloon tire. |
| 1926 | Firestone initiates the now popular one-stop service store program. |
| 1928 | The company establishes its first overseas tire plant in Brentford, England. Firestone is voted as one of nine "Pioneers of American Industry ." The "Voice of Firestone" radio program debuts. |
| 1932 | The company develops the first low-pressure tractor tire and starts the "Put the Farm on Rubber" campaign. |
| 1936 | The Firestone Industrial Products plant is established in Noblesville, Ind. |
| 1938 | Harvey S. Firestone dies in his sleep at his home in Miami Beach, Fla. |
| 1939 | The company begins producing tank tracks, airplane fuel cells, gas masks and other military items for the defense program. |
| 1940 | The company begins developing and producing special tires for combat vehicles. The company's first synthetic rubber plant begins production. |
| 1942 | The company develops the divided rim for military use. Possibly the first run flat tire, an extra metal band on the rim acts as a support to enable tires to run 100 miles or more after deflation. |
| 1945 | The Firestone Research building is dedicated in Akron, Ohio. |
| 1948 | Firestone tires win the 25th Indianapolis 500 in a row. |
| 1949 | The first NASCAR race (in Charlotte, N.C.) is won on Firestone tires by Jim Roper. The "Voice of Firestone" radio program is simulcast on television. |
| 1950 | The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company celebrates its 50th anniversary and dedicates a life-size Harvey Firestone Memorial. |
| 1951 | The company begins producing the Corporal guided missile for the U.S. government. |
| 1953 | The company introduces the Firestone "500" all-nylon tubeless tire designed for high speed passenger cars. The company does $1 billion in business for the first time. |
| 1954 | For the first time, the "Voice of Firestone" is telecast in color. The company introduces the tubeless tire for tractors and airplanes. |
| 1957 | The company dedicates a 7.7 mile test track in Fort Stockton, Texas. The track is used to test tires under a variety of wet and dry conditions. |
| 1963 | The final "Voice of Firestone" television program airs. |
| 1964 | The company introduces its first radial tire to the North American market. |
| 1965 | Art Arfons sets a land speed record of 576.55 mph on Firestone tires. The company introduces the "Super Sports Wide Oval" tire. This effort pioneered the concept of wide low-profile tires which continues today for high-performance cars. |
| 1968 | Graham Hill becomes the first driver to win the FIA Formula One championship on Firestone tires. |
| 1971 | The company develops the first American-made steel belted radial tire. The company develops the "liquid molded cast tire." It never becomes a commercial success because of the market dominance of the steel-belted radial tire. |
| 1972 | Ray Elder produces the 568th Firestone win in NASCAR when he takes the checkered flag at Riverside Raceway, June 18, driving a Dodge Charger. |
| 1973 | Harvey S. Firestone, Sr. is inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame. Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., eldest son of the company founder, dies at age 75. |
| 1974 | The company announces the Steel Radial 500 ACT (advanced concept tire) providing run flat capability at speeds up to 40 mph. |
| 1979 | Firestone introduces the temporary-spare, which allows more trunk space and reduces fuel consumption by reducing tire weight. |
| 1983 | Bridgestone Corporation establishes its first U.S. production facility by purchasing a Firestone plant in Tennessee. |
| 1987 | Corporate headquarters moves from Akron to Chicago. |
| 1988 | Bridgestone Corporation purchases The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, including its global operations. |
| 1990 | Corporate headquarters moves from Chicago to Akron. The U.S. operations of The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company are consolidated as Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. |
| 1991 | Firestone becomes the official tire of the Indy Lights Championship series. The BIGFOOT Monster Truck Racing program names Firestone as its official tire. |
| 1992 | Corporate headquarters moves from Akron to Nashville. |
| 1993 | Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. announces its return to Indy car racing |
| 1994 | Bridgestone/Firestone's Warren County plant is the first U.S. tire plant to meet the ISO 9000 quality standard. Bridgestone/Firestone Off Road Tire Company is formed. |
| 1995 | Firestone "the legend" returns to CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) competition with Firestone Firehawk tires, taking two checkered flags. |
| 1996 | The Indianapolis 500 is won for the 49th time on Firestone tires by Buddy Lazier. Bridgestone/Firestone introduces UNI-T® technology in the U.S., which enhances a tire's grip on wet surfaces without sacrificing the life of the tire. |
| 1997 | Arie Luyendyk wins the Indianapolis 500 on Firestone tires. This is the 50th time the race is won on Firestone tires, more often than all other tire manufacturers combined. |
| 1998 | Bridgestone/Firestone introduces UNI-T AQ™ technology in the U.S., which maintains a tire's performance on wet surfaces even as the tire wears. Bridgestone/Firestone announces its Dayton brand will become the official tire for the Indy Lights Championship. |
| 1999 | The Firestone Racing program clinches its fourth consecutive driver's championship in CART, and its third championship in the Indy Racing League. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., opens its most technologically advanced tire plant in Aiken, S.C. |
| 2000 | Firestone celebrates its 100th anniversary. |
[edit] Problems for the company
[edit] Firestone 500 tread separation problem
During the 1970s, Firestone experienced a major problem with one of its tire sizes. The Firestone 500 steel-belted radials began to show signs of separation of the tread at high speeds. While the cause was never proven, it is believed that the failure of bonding cements used by Firestone to hold the tread to the tire carcass, may have allowed water to penetrate the tire which in turn my have caused the internal steel wire to corrode. Certainly there was some defect in the manufacturing of these tires and Firestone is ultimately responsible for that defect. In March 1978, NHTSA announced publicly a formal investigation into defects of the Firestone 500. The NHTSA investigation found that the tread separation problem was a design defect affecting all Firestone 500's. On October 20, 1978, Firestone recalled over 7 million Firestone 500 tires.
[edit] Timeline
- 1975: Firestone tries to cure tread separation problems in the radial 500 tires caused by moisture getting inside the tire and corroding the steel.
- 1977: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration orders Firestone to recall 400,000 tires from its Decatur, Illinois plant.
- 1978: Congress holds hearings on Firestone 500 problems blamed for 34 deaths. Firestone tells Congress the trouble is consumer ignorance and underinflation but agrees to recall 11.5-million tires.[3]
[edit] Ford Explorer rollover problem
In 1996, several state agencies in Arizona began having major problems with Firestone tires on Explorers. According to news reports, various agencies demanded new tires, and Firestone conducted an investigation of the complaints, tested the tires and asserted that the tires had been abused or under-inflated.[4]
In July 2006, Bridgestone Firestone Corporation released a new advertising campaign in an attempt to reach the 5% of customers that still had not acted on its voluntary recall program of August 2000 and voluntary replacement program of September 2001. The recall/replacement program was supported by a comprehensive advertising and consumer outreach campaign and over 6.3 million tires were replaced of the total 6.5 million affected. This still leave approx 200,000 tires out there somewhere. While the company believes that most of those tires unaccounted for have probably been scrapped long ago it is still trying to locate as many as possible.
The vice president of Quality Assurance for Bridgestone Firestone North America Tire, LLC; Mike Kane, stated "Even though there are only a small percentage of these tires believed to be still in use, we are continuing to put safety first and are implementing this campaign to try and reach a group of consumers whose tires have not been recovered".[5]
[edit] Liberian rubber plant problem
According to CNN, in 1926, Firestone opened what it claims is the world's biggest rubber plantation in Liberia, West Africa. The workers accuse the company of serious labor abuses, including exploitative child labor, which they claim amount to modern-day slavery. Workers specifically claim that Firestone's high daily quotas force them to employ their own children, subjecting them to grueling and dangerous work conditions.[6]
[edit] Defense contract
In 1951, Firestone was given the defense contract for the US Military MGM-5 Corporal Missile. Firestone was given a total of $6888,796 for the first 200 Missiles. This missile was know as the "Embryo of the Army" and was a surface-to-surface guided missile which could deliver a high explosive warhead up to 75 Nautical Miles. It was later modified to be able to carry a nuclear payload for use in the event of Cold War hostilities in Eastern Europe. This missile was replaced in 1962 by the MGM-29 Sergeant missile system.[7]
[edit] Firestone roofing products
Firestone manufacture a roofing product under the brand name "Firestone Coverdeck", this product is widely used in North America on low sloping roofs. It is manufactured from 54% recycled product. Another product, "Firestone RubberGard" was chosen by the Denver International Airport for its roof.
[edit] TV Advertisement jingle
Where the Rubber Meets the Road[8] is an advertisement jingle that was first used in the 1960s that helped establish the Firestone name.
- Wherever wheels are rolling,
- No matter what the load,
- The name that's known is Firestone
- Where the rubber meets the road
[edit] References
- ^ History of Bridgestone/Firestone, Bridgestone/Firestone Canada, 2002.
- ^ Firestone 100 Year Celebration Timeline
- ^ Firestone 500 Recall Time line
- ^ US Senate Committee on Appropriations - Joan Claybrook
- ^ Firestone Still Looking For recall Tires
- ^ Is Bridgestone/Firestone Exploiting Liberian Workers?. CNN.
- ^ Army Contract Awarded to Firestone
- ^ Firestone Jingle
[edit] External links
- Firestone Tire and Rubber Company Homepage. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
- Stop Firestone. Retrieved on 2006-12-15.
