1960
Construction of Tokyo Plant
Bridgestone was founded in Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan in 1931. In response to the motorization trend in Japan, Bridgestone constructed its Tokyo Plant production base in Kodaira, Tokyo. Our founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, designed the basic layout of the Tokyo Plant. His concept was to create an environment where the families of employees could live at ease and they could work with peace of mind. Accordingly, his plan incorporated extensive welfare facilities.
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1962
Completion of Technical Center
Bridgestone completed its Technical Center in Kodaira, Tokyo in April 1962. This facility initially had a research staff of approximately 350 people and was equipped with the latest equipment at the time.
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1966
Construction of a circular test facility in Tokyo Plant
Bridgestone constructed a skid pad, a circular test facility to evaluate the slip resistance of tires as vehicles took curves on wet conditions, at the Tokyo Plant.
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1972
Expansion of Technical Center
As the company outgrew its Technical Center built in 1962 due to a rapid increase in the number of staff, Bridgestone relocated the adjacent second Company dormitory building and erected a new annex for the Technical Center at its former site.
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1979
Launch of POTENZA high-performance passenger car tires
The POTENZA RE47 tire launched in 1979 was developed at the Kodaira Technical Center. POTENZA remains a mainstay Bridgestone brand for sports tires today.
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1997
Participation in Formula 1® Race
Bridgestone began participating in Formula 1® in 1997 with the aim of enhancing the company's brand awareness in the European market. In 1998, the following year, a team using Bridgestone tires developed at the Kodaira Technical Center won the series champion.
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2000
Completion of new Technical Center
The current Technical Center was built in 2000 to serve as a new research and development facility. Today, it is functioning as the nerve center for the Bridgestone Group’s research and development activities.
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2001
Opening of BRIDGESTONE TODAY Museum
As part of our celebration of the 70th anniversary of Bridgestone’s founding, we opened the BRIDGESTONE TODAY rubber and tire corporate museum in 2001. A total of 250,000 people have visited the museum so far.
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2020
Opening of Bridgestone Innovation Gallery
The corporate museum was renovated and reopened as Bridgestone Innovation Gallery. This museum explores our history, DNA, and current and future activities.
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01

Bridgestone’s global innovation campus
for creating new value

Vision

02

A Bridgestone R&D base in Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
was renovated to create Bridgestone Innovation Park,
a global innovation campus that helps the company to connect and interact
with its stakeholders and create new social and customer value.

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Global CTO Message

Global CTO Message

Bridgestone Corporation
Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Global CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
Masato Banno
03

Opportunities Presented by Change

The automobile industry is facing fundamental shifts as represented by CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric) and MaaS (Mobility as a Solution). Bridgestone views this change as an opportunity to create new value for society and its customers.

Strengths Fostered

Bridgestone has fostered strength in the form of rubber mastery to see, analyze and manage ,which is cultivated by developing products and materials, the enormous amounts of data amassed during this process, and combining it with the craftsperson skills refined on the manufacturing floor over many years. This strong Real rubber technology forms the foundation for our R&D activities and is our greatest strength.

Combination with Digital Technologies

By combining these technologies, enormous amounts of data, and craftsperson skills with simulations, algorithms, and other digital technologies, Bridgestone will further enhance its strong Real rubber technology. Moreover, we will generate innovation unique to Bridgestone through the combination of strong Real and Digital technologies.

Solutions for your journey

Together with our various stakeholders, we will utilize the innovation born out of this combination of our strong Real rubber technology and Digital technologies to create new value for society and customers. This is the approach Bridgestone will take in its R&D activities going forward.

Area

Bridgestone
Innovation Gallery

Venue for experiencing Bridgestone

Bridgestone Innovation Gallery was opened in November 2020. It explores our history, DNA, and current and future activities.

Website

B-Innovation

Base for the co-creation of new value

B-Innovation is an open innovation base for co-creating new value through engagement with various internal and external stakeholders.

B-Mobility

Facility for immediate development and testing

B-Mobility is a facility equipped with analytical equipment and test courses that allow for new ideas and prototypes created at B-Innovation to be tested immediately. This facility thereby support swift research and development.

History

Bridgestone and Kodaira City

In the 1960s, Bridgestone’s founder Shojiro Ishibashi built the company’s former Tokyo plant and Technical Center in Kodaira City, Tokyo.
He aimed to advance motorization and create an inclusive, active, and healthy local community that valued the surrounding environment.

1960
1962
1966
1972
1979
1997
2000
2001
2020
1960
Construction of Tokyo Plant
VIEW MORE
1962
Completion of Technical Center
VIEW MORE
1966
Construction of a circular test facility in Tokyo Plant
VIEW MORE
1972
Expansion of Technical Center
VIEW MORE
1979
Launch of POTENZA high-performance passenger car tires
VIEW MORE
1997
Participation in Formula 1® Race
VIEW MORE
2000
Completion of new Technical Center
VIEW MORE
2001
Opening of BRIDGESTONE TODAY Museum
VIEW MORE
2020
Opening of Bridgestone Innovation Gallery
VIEW MORE
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