Bridgestone

Parent Company: Bridgestone Corp

Brand value: $1,538 million

Headquarter city: Tokyo

Industry: Tire

Year formed: 1931

Bridgestone is the world's biggest tire company by sales volume, and also produces a variety of automotive parts, sports equipment, chemicals, and industrial products. The company traces its heritage in Japan to 1931, and greatly expanded its sales and manufacturing capacity worldwide in the decades that followed. (When translated into English, the last name of company’s founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, contains the words “Bridge” and “Stone”). In 1988, Bridgestone bought the USA tire company Firestone to became an even bigger global tire player. Today, Bridgestone global has sales operations in 150 countries, as well 180 production and development bases in 26 countries. Bridgestone tires are designed based on a philosophy of ”four roles" and "seven performances”, all of which combine to create products of great comfort, safety, and stability. In recent years, the company has reduced its sponsorship of motor sports activities and diversified into a wider array of sports sponsorship (including golf and the upcoming Tokyo Olympics). Similarly, in its business operations the company is trying to diversify to become a data-driven “solution provider” in the areas of transportation and personal mobility. The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.