| 1931 |
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Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd., established in Kurume and begins commercial production of auto tires. |
| 1936 |
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Begin the production of military aircraft tires. |
| 1937 |
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Headquarters moved to Tokyo from Kurume. |
| 1939 |
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The production of aircraft tires begins in earnest at the Kurume Plant. |
| 1942 |
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The mass-production of aircraft tires started. |
| 1943 |
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The manufacture of aircraft wheels started. |
| 1951 |
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A reinforced rayon tire is developed to replace cotton cord. |
| 1953 |
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Start of commercial aircraft tire production. |
|
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The retreading of aircraft tires started. |
| 1955 |
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Nylon tires for jet aircraft developed. |
| 1958 |
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High tensile machine installed at the Kurume Factory, and full-scale production of nylon cord tires begins. |
| 1959 |
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The Civil Aviation Bureau (CAB) approves eleven kinds of tires and tubes, including those for the Douglas DC-3. |
| 1968 |
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Installation of world's largest dynamic tester for aircraft tires. |
|
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Aircraft tire factory built within the compounds of the Kurume Factory and mass production of aircraft tires begins. |
| 1969 |
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approves twenty-two tire sizes including that for the DC-8 aircraft. |
| 1970 |
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Kurume Aircraft Tire Retread Plant relocated to the Tokyo Factory. |
| 1971 |
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The FAA approves an additional thirteen tire sizes. |
| 1973 |
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Plant approval obtained from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). |
|
· |
Full-fledged delivery of tires started to overseas airlines. |
|
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New and retreaded tires for the DC-9-40, L1011 and DC-10-10 approved by the CAB. |
|
· |
100% share of orders for Airbus tires for all domestic airlines. |
| 1982 |
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CAB/FAA/CAA and Boeing approve B767/757 tires. |
| 1983 |
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FAA grants Repair Station Approval. |
| 1984 |
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Renamed Bridgestone Corporation. |
|
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Amalgamated company Thompson Aircraft Tires (Asia) (TATA) established with Bridgestone holding a 10% investment. |
| 1985 |
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World's newest and largest dynamic tester with maximum load of 110,000 lbs installed. |
| 1987 |
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Office established in San Francisco to augment aircraft tire technology service activities in the U.S.A. |
| 1988 |
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B747-400 tires receive CAB, FAA, CAA and Boeing approvals. |
|
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Application of TCOT theory to aircraft tires leading to development of the Improved Bias Tire (IBT). |
|
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Radial tires for Airbus A320 developed. |
|
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AP domestic and overseas sales organization integrated. |
| 1989 |
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CAB/FAA approve radial tires for the A320. |
| 1990 |
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Production of the world's largest APS tires started for the main wheels of the MD-11 private jet manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company. |
| 1991 |
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A320 radial tires first delivered to customers. |
|
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Bridgestone acquired Thompson's European operations as well as 50 percent of the equity interest in its Asian operation. |
|
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Selected by DAC as original equipment supplier for the new MD-90-30 aircraft. |
|
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Name of TATA changed to Bridgestone Aircraft Tires Asia (BAA). |
| 1992 |
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Started radial tire retreading at the Tokyo Plant. |
|
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MD-90 main tires approved by DAC. |
| 1993 |
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First to complete development of B777 radial tires, and approved by Boeing. |
|
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A321 radial tires approved by Airbus. |
|
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New generation, super-light bias tires (PWO) for the A330/A340, A321, MD-90 and MD-11 aircraft developed and marketed. |
|
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Domestic carriers JAL and ANA both decide to use Bridgestone APR tires for B777. |
| 1994 |
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Started radial tire retreading services in Europe, and Hong Kong. |
| 1995 |
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A330/A340 radial tires approved by Airbus. |
| 1996 |
· |
Developed and marketed as original equipment supplier for the new B737-600/700/800 aircraft. |
| 1997 |
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Bridgestone acquired Thompson Aerospace in the United States. |
|
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Selected by Boeing as original equipment supplier for B777-200LR/300ER and B767-400ER through 2006. |
|
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Started global QA program for aircraft tires. |
|
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Retreading companies established in the four corners of the world: Japan, USA, Europe and Asia. |
| 1998 |
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Name of European Thompson Belgium changed to Bridgestone Aircraft Tires Europe (BAE). |
| 1999 |
· |
Started radial tire retreading services in the U.S.A. |
| 2000 |
· |
BAA made a 100% subsidiary company. |
| 2003 |
· |
Selected by Airbus as original equipment supplier for A380, A320 family and A330/340. |
| 2004 |
· |
Selected by Boeing as original equipment supplier for B787. |
|
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Development of the new Revolutionarily Reinforced Radial (RRR) structure started. |
|
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Decision to use Bridgestone tires on all models of Boeing's next-generation 7E7 Dream Liner aircraft. |
| 2005 |
· |
Selected by Boeing as original equipment supplier for B737-900ER. |
|
· |
Bridgestone Corporation acquires the global standard JISQ9100 Aerospace Quality and Safety Management certification. |
|
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The Kurume Plant acquires authorization as a manufacturing organization by the European Aircraft Safety Association (EASA). |
|
· |
The new RRR aircraft tires acquire CAB, FAA and EASA authorization for used on Airbus A380 and A340. |
|
· |
Bridgestone Aircraft Tires China (BAC) established as the forth aircraft tire retreading plant in Qingdao, China, as a BAA subsidiary company. |
| 2006 |
· |
Decision to increase and reinforce production capabilities of the Tokyo Plant as the second production plant for aircraft radial tires (production started in the second half of 2008). |
| 2007 |
· |
Bridgestone Aircraft Tires Company (China) (BAC) opened and started bias tire retreading. |
| 2008 |
· |
The Tokyo Plant acquires the authorization as a APR manufacturing organization by the European Aircraft Safety Association (EASA) and started APR manufacturing. |
