Firestone Tire and Rubber Company facts for kids
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Former Firestone Tire and Rubber Company headquarters in Akron, Ohio.
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | August 3, 1900 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Founder | Harvey S. Firestone |
| Headquarters |
Akron, Ohio (1900–1987)
Chicago, Illinois (1987–1989) Akron, Ohio (1989–1992) Nashville, Tennessee (1992–Present) |
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Number of locations
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1,700 repair shop locations |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Products | Tires |
| Revenue |  U.S.$2.09 billion (2004) |
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Number of employees
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33,000 |
| Parent | Bridgestone |
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American company that makes tires. It was started by Harvey S. Firestone in 1900. At first, Firestone made solid rubber tires for fire trucks and later, air-filled tires for wagons and buggies.
Soon, Harvey Firestone saw a huge opportunity in making tires for automobiles. His company became a leader in making tires for cars on a large scale. Harvey Firestone was good friends with Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company. This friendship helped Firestone become the main tire supplier for Ford cars. The company also sold tires directly to people who needed replacements.
In 1988, a Japanese company called Bridgestone Corporation bought Firestone. Today, Firestone is part of Bridgestone.
Contents
The Story of Firestone: How It Started and Grew
Early Years: Making Tires for a New World
Firestone first started in Akron, Ohio. This city was also home to other big tire companies like Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Firestone began on August 3, 1900, with just 12 employees. For over 75 years, Firestone and Goodyear were the biggest tire suppliers in North America.
In 1906, Henry Ford chose Firestone to provide tires for his new car models. This was a big step for the company. Firestone also opened a factory in Canada in 1918, and the first Canadian-made tire was produced in 1922. In the 1920s, Firestone even made a special tire named "Oldfield" after the famous racing driver Barney Oldfield.
Growing Bigger: Plantations and Service Centers
In 1926, Firestone opened one of the world's largest rubber plantations in Liberia, West Africa. This huge farm covered over 1 million acres. That same year, the company also opened its first Firestone Tire and Service Center. These centers, now called Firestone Complete Auto Care, offer car maintenance and repair services, including tires.
In 1927, Harvey Firestone visited Southern California to find places for new factories. He chose a spot in South Gate, California, which was mostly farmland then. The factory opened in 1928 and grew very quickly. By the mid-1970s, many factories, including the one in South Gate, started closing. The South Gate plant closed in 1980, and 1,300 workers lost their jobs.
Firestone also built a factory in Brentford, England, in 1928. This building was a famous landmark for many years but was torn down in 1980. Another large plant opened in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1936. It was the biggest tire factory for Firestone worldwide, with over 3,000 employees. This plant closed in 1982.
Firestone During Wartime and Beyond
During World War II, the U.S. Government asked Firestone to make military products. They produced artillery shells, aluminum containers for food, and rubberized military items. They also made Barrage balloons and plastic helmet liners.
In 1951, Firestone received a contract to build the MGM-5 Corporal missile. This was a surface-to-surface guided missile that could travel up to 75 miles. It was later changed to carry a nuclear payload during the Cold War.
In the 1960s, Firestone bought other tire companies, including Dayton Tire and Seiberling Rubber Company.
Changes and Becoming Part of Bridgestone
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In the late 1970s, Firestone faced big financial problems. John Nevin became president to help save the company. He closed many factories and moved the company's main office from Akron, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois. He also sold off parts of the company that didn't make tires, like the Firestone Country Club. These changes helped the company's value grow.
In 1988, Firestone was sold to the Japanese company Bridgestone. This was a major event in the tire industry. The companies celebrated their 20th anniversary together in 2008.
Bridgestone Americas, the American part of Bridgestone, moved its main office to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2017. In 2012, Bridgestone Americas opened a new Bridgestone Americas Technical Center in Akron. This $100 million facility helps develop new tire technologies.
In 2022, Bridgestone opened a new Advanced Tire Production Center in Akron. This $21 million plant replaced an older Firestone factory and now makes racing tires for the NTT IndyCar Series. It's the first new tire plant in Akron in over 70 years. Bridgestone also opened a test track nearby to help develop passenger tires.
Firestone Complete Auto Care: Car Services for Everyone
Firestone Complete Auto Care is a large chain of car maintenance shops. It started in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1926.
Today, there are over 1,700 Firestone Complete Auto Care locations across the United States. All of them are owned by Firestone. In 2002, about 20 million customers visited these shops each year. Bridgestone, Firestone's parent company, announced in 2022 that it will expand its services for hybrid and electric vehicles.
Firestone in Racing: A History of Speed
Firestone tires have a long and successful history in auto racing. The Indianapolis 500 race was won by a car using Firestone tires in 1911. From 1920 to 1966, every winner of the Indianapolis 500 used Firestone tires!
The company also supplied tires for NASCAR races from 1948 to 1974 and for Formula One races from 1950 to 1974. Firestone stopped participating in most professional motorsports in 1974 because of rising costs. However, Firestone returned to racing in 1995 for the CART Series. Since 2000, Firestone has been the only tire supplier for the IndyCar Series, and this will continue until at least the 2025 season.
Challenges and Important Lessons
The Firestone 500 Tire Issue
In the 1970s, Firestone faced big problems with its new radial tire, the Firestone 500. These tires sometimes had issues where the tread would separate, especially at high speeds. This was a serious safety concern.
In 1978, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) started an investigation into the Firestone 500 tires. They found that the problem was likely a design flaw. Firestone tried to fix the issues with strict quality checks, but they weren't fully successful.
On October 20, 1978, Firestone recalled over 7 million Firestone 500 tires. This was the largest tire recall at that time. The tires were linked to accidents and deaths. In 1980, the NHTSA fined Firestone $500,000 because they knew the tires were faulty. This was the largest fine ever given to a U.S. company for this type of issue. The negative news hurt Firestone's sales and reputation.
The Liberian Rubber Plantation: A Complex History
Firestone started its Natural Rubber plantation in Harbel, Liberia, in 1926. For many years, it was the largest plantation of its kind in the world.
During the First Liberian Civil War in 1990, rebel forces took over the plantation. Firestone had to remove its American workers. The company tried to restart operations in 1991 and 1992 but had to stop again due to the ongoing conflict. Operations fully restarted in 2003 after the war ended. Since then, Firestone has invested over $100 million to rebuild its facilities in Liberia.
The company's history in Liberia has been looked at closely by different groups. There have been discussions and reports about the conditions and history of the plantation.
Ford Explorer and Tire Issues
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In 1996, some state agencies in Arizona reported problems with Firestone tires on Ford Explorer vehicles. There were concerns about tread separation on Firestone's Wilderness AT, ATX, and ATX II tires. This led to many lawsuits and a large recall.
In 2001, Bridgestone/Firestone ended its relationship with Ford. They stated a lack of trust, partly because they felt Ford had not listened to their warnings about the design of the Ford Explorer. In 2006, Firestone continued efforts to recall more tires of the same models.
Some experts have discussed whether Firestone's tires or the Ford Explorer's design were more to blame. A later investigation showed that Ford Explorer SUVs were not more likely to roll over after a tire failure than other SUVs. Some economists also suggested that a worker dispute at Firestone's Decatur plant from 1994 to 1996 might have affected the quality of tires made there.
Famous Slogan
Where the Rubber Meets the Road is a well-known advertising jingle that Firestone used often in the 1960s and 1970s, especially during sports events on TV. The jingle was sung by Don Rondo.
- Wherever wheels are turning,
- No matter what the load,
- The name that's known is Firestone
- Where the rubber meets the road.
Other Tire Brands by Firestone
Bridgestone/Firestone also makes tires under the Fuzion brand name. Fuzion tires are made in China and are known as a more affordable replacement option.
Some Fuzion models include the Fuzion UHP Sport A/S, SUV, and Touring tires.
See also
- Harvey S. Firestone
- Bridgestone
- Formula One tires
- NTT IndyCar Series
