History of Michelin

Michelin incorporated on May 28, 1888 – the activities date back to 1830 in vulcanized rubber, before they moved into tires for bicycles and later for cars. Michelin owned the automobile manufacturer Citroën between 1934 and 1976.

Michelin has made a number of innovations to tires, including in 1946 the radial tire (then known as the “X” tire). In 1988, Michelin acquired the tire and rubber manufacturing divisions of the American B.F. Goodrich Company founded in 1870. Two years later, they bought out Uniroyal Inc., founded in 1892 as the United States Rubber Company, Uniroyal Australia had already been purchased by Bridgestone in 1980. Michelin is currently the world’s second largest tire manufacturer after Bridgestone.