Bridgestone Canada, Inc. (BSCA) traces its roots back 1900 and the founding of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company by an enterprising young American, Harvey S. Firestone.

On the other side of the globe, another enterprising man, Shojiro Ishibashi, established the Bridgestone Tire Corporation in Japan in 1931. Mr. Ishbashi took the direct English translation of his family name -"Stone-bridge" and reversed it to create "Bridgestone. This name sounded like Firestone, a company he greatly admired.

History of Bridgestone Firestone

1900-1925

1900: Harvey S. Firestone established The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. Displaying his gift of innovation, he began the 20th century with a new way of making carriage tires and started production with 12 employees in Akron, Ohio.

1906: From the start, Firestone worked relentlessly to improve quality and meet the needs of his customers. His efforts and integrity paid off when Firestone tires were chosen by Henry Ford for the first mass-produced automobiles in America.

1911: To put his 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.

1919: The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Canada was incorporated in Hamilton, Ontario.

1922: The first Canadian-made tire rolled off the line on September 15.

1925-1950

1928: In Japan, Shojiro Ishibashi was in the process of transforming his small family business making Tabi, a traditional Japanese footwear, into a modern manufacturing enterprise. The rapid westernization of Japan spurred a move into a more progressive market and Ishibashi began research on tires with the ambition of becoming the first Japanese manufacturer.

1931: The Bridgestone Tire Co. Ltd. is founded. Alert to the Japanese consumer's love of American and British products, and aware of the global market, Ishibashi created the name by reversing the English translation of his own name, "Stone-Bridge". He preferred the sound of the name Bridgestone. It was very similar to Firestone, a company he greatly admired.

1932: Firestone introduces the low pressure tractor tire.

1949: Jim Roper pilots his Lincoln to victory in the first NASCAR Winston Cup race on Firestone tires.

1950-1975

1953: Bridgestone becomes Japan's largest tire maker.

1957: Firestone develops a high-speed race tire to withstand speeds of 304 kilometers per hour for the first running of the International 800-kilometers race at Monza, Italy.

1960: Bridgestone is poised for rapid growth and international development along with the Japanese automotive industry.

1964: Bridgestone and Firestone offer radial tires in their respective Japanese and American markets.

1966: Firestone's Joliette, Quebec tire plant begins production.

1967: Bridgestone enters the U.S. market through a sales subsidiary in California.

1968: Graham hill becomes the first driver to win the FIA Formula 1 championship on Firestone tires.

An all-out program to further improve quality and raise productivity initiated in the early part of the decade results in the prestigious Deming Prize.

1972: Bridgestone begins doing business in Canada, opening a sales and warehouse operation in Burnaby, British Columbia.

1975 - 2000

1979: Firestone pioneers the concept of the "temporary spare" tire.

Bridgestone develops technology for converting scrap tires into supplemental fuel for cement kilns.

1983: Bridgestone established its first U.S. production base by purchasing a Firestone truck tire plant in LaVergne, Tennessee.

1988: The Bridgestone Corporation acquires the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company signaling the transformation into a truly global company.

1990: Bridgestone and Firestone are consolidated under a unified organization called Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. Bridgestone/Firestone builds a state-of-the-art plant in Warren County, Tennessee.

Bridgestone/Firestone Canada moves its corporate head office to Mississauga, Ontario.

1992: As part of the integration with Bridgestone's existing U.S. operations, Bridgestone/Firestone moved its corporate headquarters from Akron to Nashville.

1993: The Bridgestone Blizzak winter tire is introduced.

1995: Firestone, a legend at the Indy 500, returns to open-wheel racing.

1996: UNI-T (Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology) is introduced.

1997: Arie Luyendyk wins his second Indy 500. The win is Firestone's 50th at the brickyard.

Bridgestone/Firestone announces it will build a new passenger and light truck manufacturing facility in Aiken County, South Carolina. Exactly one year later, the plant builds its first test tire.

Bridgestone enters Formula 1 racing. Cars shod with Bridgestone Potenza tires capture four podium finishes in the company's rookie F1 season.

1998: Bridgestone wins its first F1 world championship in only its second season as Mika Hakkinen captures the driver's title. 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.

1999: Bridgestone/Firestone opens its most technologically advanced tire plant in Aiken, South Carolina.

1999: The Bridgestone/Racing School moves to Mosport Ontario and is renamed the Bridgestone/Firestone Racing School.

2000 - Today

2000: Firestone wins its fifth consecutive CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) championship and 4th consecutive IRL (Indy Racing League) championship.

Bridgestone wins its third consecutive Formula 1 championship.

2001: Bridgestone Corporation is named GM Supplier of the Year for the 8th time.

Michael Schumacher becomes the all time win leader in F1 while racing for Bridgestone-shod Ferrari. He also wins his fourth driver's championship.

2002: Bridgestone outfits all cars racing in the CART series.

Today: Bridgestone America's, Inc has over 38 manufacturing facilities, 1,500 directly owned and operated retail outlets in the North America and nearly 45,000 industrious employees who produce and sell 50 million tires a year.