Tires are crucial components for any car, being responsible not only for the movement of the car on the road but also for overall performance and safety. Each product has behind it a brand name that influences to some extent the reputation of the product itself. Tires are no exception from this rule and each tire brand has a specific history and philosophy.
This section explores the origins and culture of tire brands as well as the meaning of their names. We'll delve into the evolution and significance of the most reputable names in this industry and we'll discover what philosophy motivates them to make the world rolling.
Bridgestone
The popular tire manufacturer Bridgestone was founded back in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi in his own hometown Kurume, Japan. At first sight, the connection between “Shojiro Ishibashi” and "Bridgestone" might not be obvious. But here comes the thing...
“Bridgestone” was made in Japan and this is what the company founder’s surname translates into. With this being said, specifically “Ishi” translates as “stone” in Japanese whilst “Bashi” (or “Hashi”) translates as “bridge”. Why exactly Shojiro Ishibashi has translated it and turned the company into Bridgestone remains up to everybody’s guess. Nonetheless, naming the company after the founder's surname has proven to be an effective tactic, as Bridgestone's reputation shows us.
Nokian Tyres
I guess we all know about Nokian Tyres manufacturer and this is a company that sounds pretty similar to Nokia. Many of you might have even mistakenly called the tire manufacturer “Nokia” or the other way around – the phone company “Nokian”. We have to tell you that you didn’t make a huge mistake there. The company gets its name from its headquarters: Nokia, Finland. Yes, this is the phone company. And yes, these 2 companies are related.
Both companies Nokian as well as Nokia diverged from a paper mill that was established there a really long time ago back in the 1800s. Nonetheless, Nokian Tyres is not famous only because of sharing its origin with the phone company, but also because it is the first company to ever create a winter tire. In addition to that, up to this moment, it operates the only permanent winter tire testing facility on the entire planet. By the way, it's about the Nokian Hakkapeliitta tire which came to first solve the winter extreme weather road challenges.
Nexen Tire Company
Nexen tire manufacturer was founded back in 1942 in South Korea and initially, it was founded under the name of Heung-A Tire Company. However, almost 60 years later in 2000, the company decided to change the company name to what we know it nowadays: "Nexen". The main goal of the transition was to highlight the company's “dedication to quality and continued leadership”. Nexen actually means a combination of 2 different words: “Next” and “Century”.
After the tire company changed its name, it started to develop various tire innovations. That includes some really important ones such as: patenting a new rubber compound as well as developing new winter tread patterns and new UHP (Ultra High Performance) tires. As much as we can notice, it is quite clear that the company has taken its new name to heart. Besides changing its name, it made some other changes too. These refer to tire new technologies and strong Research & Development investments.
Firestone Tire Company
Firestone was founded by Harvey Firestone back in 1900. It is quite obvious why this company got this name. Another thing that is very interesting when talking about the Firestone manufacturer, and one reason why Firestone tires are so famous, is that this company has played an important part at the beginning of the entire automobile industry.
Well, what you may not know is that Harvey Firestone was a good friend of the famous Henry Ford. Firestone played an overall important role when talking about tire mass production. With this being said, guess who was asked to supply tires to the new vehicles when Henry Ford needed some? Therefore, the Firestone and Ford partnership and friendship led to a vertiginous and mutual development of both brands.
Cooper Tires
Cooper Tires is a tire manufacturer that was founded in Ohio in 1914 by 2 brothers-in-law. It was Claude E. Hart, and John F. Schaefer who set the company's foundation. It actually all started with rebuilding tires. Nonetheless, interesting enough is that the company name does not actually come from the founders’ names as much as we can notice. However, it comes from Ira J. Cooper.
Cooper founded a new tire manufacturing company that merged with the 2 brothers back in 1919. Back in 1926, Cooper developed the “Cooper Creed” focusing the company on providing: “good merchandise, fair play, and a square deal” which is still the company vision of today’s Cooper Tires company we know.
Hankook Tire Company
Having its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, the Hankook Tire Group (full company’s name) is nowadays the seventh largest manufacturer in the entire world, according to tirereview.com. Back in the days when it was just founded in 1941, the company started with the name Chosun Tire Group. But then they changed the name to Hankook. If you’re wondering “why” you should know that in the Korean language, this literally means “Korea”.
Even their original name “Chosun” still paid great respect and honor to their country. That’s because the name “Chosun” (or Joseon) was an early kingdom that lasted approximately 500 years. The company then changed its name to the current country name. You can learn more about the Hankook mission here, where you'll come across a really nice presentation.
Vogue Tyre
Vogue Tyre company has its origins back in 1914 when a chauffeur named Harry Hower founded it. This company started to produce carriage tires at the very beginning. Vogue company is going to remain in history as the tire manufacturer that invented the whitewall tire. Vogue Tyre even patented the gold stripe back in the 1960s.
As we all know, Vogue Tyre is best known for producing luxury tires. Therefore the company has been a favorite tire manufacturer of the rich and famous for 100 years since the 1920s. With all of this being said, it is pretty clear the reason why the company has chosen its brand name. For those who might not know: “Vogue” means popular and fashionable suggesting that Vogue tires are made with fashion and style. Without any doubt, Vogue Tyre managed to “be in vogue” through time.
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Goodyear is definitely one of the most popular and largest tire companies that have begun its activity in Ohio, USA. More specifically, Goodyear tire manufacturer started in Akron, in 1898, making it one of the oldest tire manufacturers in the world. Interesting to know is that Goodyear started out its business by making bicycle and carriage tires. Although it may sound strange - it shouldn't be, considering that back in 1898 you definitely wouldn’t see as many cars on the roads. No need to say that the company quickly got on the ground floor when the car caught on.
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is named after Charles Goodyear. Yet, no – he was not the founder. He was the man who discovered vulcanized rubber. So, this name is actually a tribute to Charles – the person who made the company's success possible. The founder of the Goodyear Tire Company was actually Frank Seiberling. It seems like Frank decided that Goodyear deserves a company’s name more than his own. So today we know it the way we do because approximately 60 years before the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company was founded, Goodyear first invented vulcanized rubber: the compound that no modern tires would be possible to exist.
Hoosier Racing Tire
Hoosier Racing Tire is a company that was made by Robert Newton back in 1957. It started to supply tires to NASCAR drivers only in the 1980s. Racer Robert Newton was not happy with the fact that he had to use street tires for racing competitions. Hard to believe but that was the reality back in the day. That’s because there were no other options. That’s why he has set out to develop tires that were specifically made for the race track. Robert used to operate out of a barn in Lakeville, Indiana, USA. Both he and his wife started to retread street tires with a softer compound. That was to sell them to fellow racers. And obviously to use them himself.
If you never heard of Hoosier Racing Tire, then it is pretty clear you most probably aren't ever a fan of racing events. That’s because nowadays, this tire company is considered the largest racing tire manufacturer in the entire world. Is pretty clear why the company is named “Racing Tire”. At the same time “Hosier” is the company name he took from the term for the state’s residents. That’s something pretty common among many other Indiana businesses. The purple logo they’re using today is because Robert Newton’s first race car used to have this color.
Michelin Tire Brand
The Michelin tire manufacturer is considered one of the best tire manufacturers in the world, according to Forbes and not only. The company was founded back in 1889 by 2 brothers Edouard Michelin and Andre Michelin. They ran a rubber factory in Clermont-Ferrand, France. With this being said, it is pretty obvious how this French tire manufacturer company got its name. 2 years after the company was founded, in 1981, Michelin took out the first patent for a removable pneumatic tire. The one that was used to win the world’s first long-distance cycle range in Paris – Brest – Paris in 1891.
Bibendum, which might be better known as the “Michelin Tyre Man” or simply “Michelin Man”, is taken from a collection of books called Horace’s Odes. This is nowadays one of the world’s most recognized trademarks. As well as one of the most iconic signs in the world of tires. It was Andre Michelin’s idea to replace the man from a picture in there with a figure made from tires.
Conclusion
As much as you can notice here, tire manufacturer names have various explanations. Moreover, different tire brand names are being used to pay tribute to different founders, various hometowns, or maybe even the values of the company itself. We consider that it is always good to know history. This way we know how it all started and where it originates from.
When talking about tire manufacturer brand names, the next time that you’re going to see them on a car, in a garage, or going to buy them in a store, you’re going to know what their name is all about. This may not be as helpful as knowing how to properly take care of your tires. Yet that’s pretty interesting.
Best Tire Brands: FAQs
Which Tire Brand Is the Best?
Depending on which angle we look at it, the list of the best tire brands can differ a bit from one source to another. For example, Consumer Reports finds the following tire brands as being the best: Michelin (72 scores), Continental (68 scores), Vredestein (67 scores), General (67 scores), Bridgestone (65 scores), Hankook (64 scores), Goodyear (63 scores).
According to BrandDirectory, the world’s most valuable and strongest tire brand continues to be Michelin, with stable performance. Bridgestone and Continental Tires are in 2nd and 3rd place for brand value. Giti is the fastest-growing tire brand in the ranking, with a 19% increase in brand value. Sailun, Linglong Tire, and Sentury Tire are experiencing accelerated demand overseas.
Bridgestone and Continental Tires have both achieved significant rankings. The Bridgestone has the dignified 2nd position, while Continental Tires has obtained the 3rd position. This notable feat comes after both companies witnessed an 8% and 13% increase in the latest report. As a result, Bridgestone's brand value now stands at USD 7.6 billion. This marks a noteworthy progression, thereby narrowing the gap to just USD 254 million behind Michelin, the long-standing leader in the industry.
Do Tire Brands Really Make A Difference?
In fact, yes, even if many consider the brand to be more of a marketing tool. While strong tire brands indeed invest a lot in their advertising, we cannot deny the overall better performance branded tires offer. Big players from the tire industry invest a lot in constant development and research, upgrading their technologies, manufacturing processes, and safety aspects. Statistically, reputable brand tires enjoy a higher appreciation of performance and safety level.
Why Trust Us?
We are convinced that driving performance does not depend exclusively on the type and capabilities of the vehicle. Its tires play a no less essential role. The science behind tires fascinates us and we want drivers to know as much as possible about it.
For this, NeoTires prepares materials from reliable sources so that every driver knows the difference between a good tire and a mediocre one. Also, we work with the best specialists in the field to offer practical and proven solutions to improve the driving experience by choosing and maintaining tires the right way.
Last but not least, we offer a wide range of products for every need and road condition. All are validated by tests, reviews, comparisons, and experts from this sector. NeoTires is a good ally for finding the right tires for the most diverse weather conditions, driving styles, and road surfaces. Here you will find qualified and friendly assistance, in addition to affordable prices, free shipping, and professional support for whatever "tires" means.
We cannot change the conditions in which you drive. But we can certainly contribute to the way you drive on them. From silky roads to the most challenging off-road terrains, be sure to find the right product for your needs. Drive safe and choose your tires wisely!
