A Better Way Forward
In
1889 two brothers, André and Edouard Michelin,
embarked one of the great human and industrial
adventures of our times: one that shaped and
continues to drive progress in modern means of
transport through constant innovation.
From the invention of radial tires to that of Pax
System, and from the first gastronomic guide to the
steel wheel, Michelin has played an active role at
every stage of the automotive adventure.
Faithful to its tradition, the Company that gave
birth to Bibendum constantly designs innovative
equipment for all types of vehicles.
1832
Aristide Barbier and Edouard Daubrée open in
Clermont-Ferrand a factory for farming equipment and
rubber items.
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1889
Edouard Michelin becomes manager of the
company renamed “Michelin et Cie”.
1891
Michelin develops the detachable tire for
bicycles. |
1895
Michelin fits the first automobile with
pneumatic tires: the Eclair.
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1898
A clever association between the cartoon
character sketch by illustrator O'Gallop
with the motto "It's time to drink!" and
the piles of tires gives rise to the
creation of Bibendum, the Michelin Man,
and the translation of the slogan
becomes "Michelin tires drink
obstacles!" |
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1900
The first Michelin Red Guide is published. 35,000
copies are printed with the prophetic
words of André Michelin: "This guide is
born with the century, and will last as
long as the century does." |
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1914
Michelin takes part in the war effort by
building 2500 Breguet aircraft. Michelin offers its
services to the Frecnch Government for
the construction of the aircraft. 100
planes are free of charge and the rest
sold at cost. In all Michelin builds
1,884 aircraft in its Carmes plant
(Clermont-Ferrand) |
1929
Michelin invents the “Micheline” and the
train tire.
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1935
Michelin acquired a majority stake in Citroën,
and retained it until 1975. Pierre Michelin is
appointed President of Citroën and
Pierre Boulanger Vice-President. |
1938
Introduction of “Michelin Metalic” the first
ever tire with a steel casing. Edouard Michelin
appoints Robert Puiseux and Pierre Boulanger joint
Managing Partners.
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1946
Michelin filed a revolutionary patent for
radial tires. |
1952
Michelin adapts radial technology to truck
tires.
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1955
François Michelin becomes a Managing Partner in the
Company.
1959
Michelin launches the first radial tire for
earthmover equipment. |
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1965
The Ladoux research and testing center opens
north of Clermont-Ferrand. First
asymmetric tire, the Michelin XAS, is
designed for fast cars. |
1979
With Ferrari, the Michelin radial tire wins
the World Championship in Formula 1 racing.
1981
The first radial tire for aircraft, Michelin
Air X, is developed.
1984
Launch of the first radial tires for
motorcycles, marketed in 1987.
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1986
François Michelin appoints René Zingraff as
joint Managing Partner. Michelin boosts its North
American production capacity by 40%. |
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1991
François Rollier retires and
François Michelin appoints his son Edouard
Michelin as joint Managing Partner. |
1993
Michelin develops a new tire manufacturing
process: C3M.
1994
The new “Energy” tire range promotes better
fuel efficiency.
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1996
Michelin develops a revolutionary concept designated
as the PAX System in 1998: the
vertically anchored tire, unseatable,
which permits to run flat after a loss
of pressure. While improving the overall
performance of the tire, it increases
safety and extends mobility. Michelin
commercializes the first color tire for
cars. |
1998
The Colombian company Icollantas becomes part
of the Michelin Group. Bibendum celebrate its 100th
birthday. Michellin creates Challenge Bibendum,
global clean behicle and sustainable mobility forum.
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2001
Michelin develops the world's largest
earthmover tire. ViaMichelin launched. Michelin
develops a new technology for aircraft
enabling Concorde to return to the
skies, the NZG radial technology. |
2003
XeoBib, the first agricultural tire to run at
a constant low pressure.
2004
First Michelin plant in Russia inaugurated at Davydovo near Moscow. Michelin showcased three trail-blazing projects in tire and wheel technology
and two Michelin-built clean concept-cars.
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2005
Michel Rollier becomes a joint Managing
Partner. Airbus A380's first flight took off on
Michelin tires. The light quality of Michelin's new
tire develop for the A280, lends it added
competitive edge. |
2006 - Michelin Tweel, a revolutionary,
non-pneumatic wheel concept. An innovative answer to
the crucial issue of earthmover tire resistance to
damage. Containing no pressurized air, it is
puncture-proof, hence the vehicles's uninterrupted
mobility. Mr Michel Rollier, acting Joint Managing
Partner, assumed the Group's leadership upon the
accidental death of Mr. Edouard Michelin.
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Our mission:
To take a sustainable contribution to progress
in the mobility of goods and people by
constantly enhancing freedom of movement,
safety, efficiency and pleasure when on the
move.
Michelin committed to environmental respect
Michelin, world leader in low rolling resistance
tires, actively reduces fuel consumption and
vehicle gas emission.
To keep its environmental impact under control,
Michelin chose to conduct a global assessment of
its operations and products. These led us to
focus on developing technologies aimed at:
. reducing rolling resistance to cut fuel
consumption without adverse impact on the other
environmental
impact factors;
. increasing life cycle to reduce the number of
tires to be processed at the end of their useful
lives;
. using raw materials that have a low
environmental impact.
Under the Group’s environmental management
system, which forms part of its quality
approach, every production worker plays an
important role in Michelin’s environmental
protection policy.
Some 90 % of output in volume terms is carried
out in ISO 14001-certified plants. Michelin is
therefore committed to the growth of an
efficient and healthy recycling industry to
process end-of-life tires.
Michelin Tire: A highly functional structure
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1. Tread. A thick layer of rubber
provides contact with the ground. It has
to channel water away and last as long as possible.
2. Crown plies. This double or triple
reinforced belt has both vertical
flexibility and high lateral rigidity. It provides the steering capacity.
3. Sidewalls. These cover and protect
the textile casing whose role is to
attach the tire tread to the wheel rim.
4. Bead area for attachment to the rim.
Its internal bead wire clamps the tire
firmly against the wheel rim.
5. Inner liner. This makes the tire
almost totally impermeable and maintains
the correct inflation pressure. |
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