In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns theKleber Tyre Company,Uniroyal (in North America, Colombia, and Peru),BFGoodrich, and SASCAR brands. Michelin is also notable for its Red and Greentravel guides, itsroadmaps, theMichelin stars that the Red Guide awards to restaurants for their cooking, and for its company mascotBibendum, colloquially known as the Michelin Man, who is a humanoid consisting of tyres.[2]
The company has been the world's largesttyre manufacturer by annual revenue since 2021.[4] In 2012, the group produced 166 million tyres at 69 facilities, located in 18 countries.[5]
An 1898 poster by "O'Galop" ofBibendum, the Michelin ManMichelin, advertising, Australia, 1922Demonstration of the Michelin "car-train" with rubber tyres in the Netherlands in 1932View of old-fashioned Michelin omnibus and two michelin men with bystanders behindCharles Rolls statue,Monmouth, Wales,c. 1965–1970Michelin Lithion 2,road bicycle tyre
In 1889, two brothers,Édouard Michelin (1859–1940) andAndré Michelin (1853–1931), ran a farm implement business inClermont-Ferrand, France. One day a cyclist whose pneumatic tyre needed repair turned up at the factory. The tyre was glued to the rim, and it took over three hours to remove and repair the tyre, which then needed to be left overnight to dry.
The next day, Édouard Michelin took the repaired bicycle into the factory yard to test. After only a few hundred metres, the tyre failed. Despite the setback, Édouard was enthusiastic about the pneumatic tyre, and he and his brother worked on creating their own version, one that did not need to be glued to the rim. Michelin was incorporated on 28 May 1889. In 1891 Michelin took out its first patent for aremovable pneumatic tyre which was used byCharles Terront to win the world's first long-distance cycle race, the 1891Paris–Brest–Paris.[citation needed]
In the 1920s and 1930s, Michelin operated large rubber plantations in Vietnam. Conditions at these plantations led to the famous labour movementPhú Riềng Đỏ.[6]
Michelin's domination of the supply of rubber inFrench Indochina led to thePhú Riềng Đỏ strike in 1930. This resulted in France investigating Michelin's treatment of workers on its rubber plantations.[7]
In 1934, Michelin introduced a tyre which, if punctured, would run on a special foam lining, a design now known as arun-flat tyre (self-supporting type).[citation needed]
Michelin developed and patented a key innovation in tyre history, the 1946radial tyre, and successfully exploited this technological innovation to become one of the world's leading tyre manufacturers.[8] The radial was initially marketed as the "X" tyre.[9] It was developed with the front-wheel-driveCitroën Traction Avant andCitroën 2CV in mind.
Michelin had bought the then-bankruptCitroën in the 1930s. Because of its superiority in handling and fuel economy, use of this tyre quickly spread throughout Europe and Asia.[8] In the U.S., the outdated bias-plytyre persisted, with a market share of 87% in 1967.[8]
In 1966, Michelin partnered withSears to produce radial tyres under theAllstate brand and was selling 1 million units annually by 1970.[10]
In 1968, Michelin opened its first North American sales office, and was able to grow that market for its products rapidly; by 1989 the company had a 10% market share forOEM tyres purchased by American automobile makers.[11]
Also in 1968,Consumer Reports, an influential American magazine, acknowledged the superiority of the radial construction, setting off a rapid decline in Michelin's competitor technology.[10] In the U.S., the radial tyre now has a market share of 100%.[8]
In addition to the private label and replacement tyre market, Michelin scored an earlyOEM tyre win in North America, when it received the contract for the 1970Continental Mark III, the first American car with radial tyres fitted as standard.[12]
Also in 1989, Michelin created Michelin Okamoto Tire Corporation, a joint venture with Japanese rubber/condom manufacturer Okamoto Industries.[16] In Japan, MOTC marketed Michelin, BFGoodrich, and Okamoto's Riken brand, which Michelin still markets today as a budget performance tyre brand.
In 1994, Michelin Okamoto launched the Green X line of fuel-saving tyres, a line of studless winter tyres: the Maxi-Glace (a version of the XM+S 100 for the Japanese market), W-Edge (rebranded XM+S Alpin), and the Maxi Ice,[17] as well as a high performance tire, the GTX Virage,[18] which was also marketed as the MXF Sport[19] in some countries. The joint venture was later terminated in 2000, with Michelin buying all of Okamoto's shares.
In 1992, Michelin unveiled the green tyre, a tyre featuring Green X technology, advertised as saving fuel, lowering rolling resistance, and reducing emissions, in that year's Paris Motor Show with the MXN, a variant of their MXT tyre.[20]
It was released in 1994, marketed as the Energy in Europe and the rest of the world, and as the Green X in Japan. In Europe, the Energy launched with the Energy MXT, a fuel-saving version of their regular MXT tyre and the Energy MXV3-A for luxury cars. In 1997, the Energy MXV4, a slightly sportier but still luxury tire, was added to the lineup.
In Japan, the Green X line began with the MXGS in 1994. The line later consisted of the MXGS, MXT Green (released in 1996), MXV3-A Green (released in 1997), MXV4 Green (also released in 1997), MXE Green (a successor to the MXT, released in 1998), and the MXK Green (for kei cars, released in 1999).[21] In the early 2000s, the series was unified globally as the Energy, and is still sold today as the Energy Saver line.
As of 1 September 2008, Michelin is again the world's largest tyre manufacturer after spending two years as number two behind Bridgestone.[22] Michelin produces tyres in France, Serbia, Poland, Spain, Germany, the US, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Thailand, Japan, India, Italy and several other countries.
On 15 January 2010, Michelin[23] announced the closing of its Ota, Japan plant, which employs 380 workers and makes the Michelin X-Ice tyre. Production of the X-Ice will be moved to Europe, North America, and elsewhere in Asia.[24] In 2019, Michelin announced that plants in Germany and France are to be closed soon.[25]
Michelin also controls 90% of Taurus Tyre in Hungary, as well as Kormoran,[26] a Polish brand.
In December 2018, Michelin acquiredCamso, a manufacturer of off-the-road tyres, tracks, and accessories for power sports, agriculture, material handling and construction markets.[27]
On 22 January 2019, it was announced that Michelin had acquired Indonesian manufacturerMultistrada Arah Sarana, which produces Achilles Radial and Corsa tyres.[28] On 19 June that year, Michelin owns 99.64% of the share capital of Multistrada.[29][30]
Michelin participated inMotoGP from 1972 to 2008. They introduced radial construction to MotoGP in 1984, and multi-compound tyres in 1994. They achieved 360 victories in 36 years, and from 1993 to 2006, the world championship had gone to a rider on Michelins.[citation needed]
In 2007,Casey Stoner onBridgestone tyres won the world championship in dominating fashion, andValentino Rossi and other top riders complained that Michelins were inferior. Rossi wanted Bridgestones for the 2008 season, but Bridgestone was reluctant to provide them;Dorna threatened to impose a control tyre on the series, after which Bridgestone relented.[citation needed]
In 2008, Michelin committed errors of judgment in allocating adequate tyres for some of the race weekends.Dani Pedrosa's team switched to Bridgestones in mid-season, a highly unusual move that caused friction betweenHonda Racing Corporation and their sponsorRepsol YPF. Other riders also expressed concerns and it seemed that Michelin might not have any factory riders for the 2009 season, leading to rumours that Michelin would withdraw from the series altogether.
Dorna and theFIM announced that a control tyre would be imposed on MotoGP for the 2009 season and Michelin did not enter a bid, effectively ending its participation in the series at the end of 2008.[31][32][33][34]
Michelin returned to MotoGP in 2016 as the official tyre supplier after Bridgestone's withdrawal from the series at the end of 2015.[35][36]
The company returned to Formula One in2001, supplying theWilliams,Jaguar,Benetton (renamedRenault in 2002),Prost andMinardi teams.Toyota joined F1 in 2002 with Michelin tyres, andMcLaren also signed up with the company. Michelin Tyres were initially uncompetitive but by the 2005 season were dominant.
This was partly because the new regulations stated that tyres must last the whole race distance (and qualifying), and partly because only one top team (Ferrari) was running Bridgestones, and so had to do much of the development work. Michelin in contrast had much more testing and race data provided by the larger number of teams running their tyres.[citation needed]
Following the debacle of the2005 United States Grand Prix where, because of safety concerns, Michelin would not allow the teams it supplied to race, Michelin's share price fell by 2.5% (though it recovered later the same day). On 28 June, Michelin announced that it would offer compensation to all race fans who had bought tickets for the Grand Prix. The company committed to refunding the price of all tickets for the race. Additionally, it announced that it would provide 20,000 complimentary tickets for the 2006 race to spectators who had attended the 2005 event.[37]
Michelin has had a difficult relationship with the sport's governing body (theFIA) since around 2003 and this escalated to apparent disdain between the two parties during the2005 season. The most high-profile disagreement was at the United States Grand Prix and the acrimony afterwards. Michelin criticised the FIA's intention to move to a single source (i.e. one brand) tyre from 2008 and threatened to withdraw from the sport.
In a public rebuke, FIA PresidentMax Mosley wrote: "There are simple arguments for a single tyre, and if [Michelin boss Édouard Michelin] is not aware of this, he shows an almost comical lack of knowledge of modern Formula One."[38] Another bone of contention has been the reintroduction of tyre changes during pit-stops from 2006. Michelin criticised the move claiming "this event illustrates F1's problems of incoherent decision-making and lack of transparency".[39]
In December 2005, and as a result of the difficult relationship with the sport's governing body, Michelin announced that it would not extend its involvement in Formula One beyond the 2006 season.[40]Bridgestone was then the sole supplier of tyres to Formula One until the end of the 2010 season, withPirelli providing tyres for 2011.
Michelin is involved in endurance races such as the24 Hours of Le Mans and theAmerican Le Mans Series. Involvement in Le Mans began with supplying tyres for the winner of the inaugural1923 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as nine others of the 33 entrants.[41][42] In 2009 Michelin supplied tyres for 41 of the 55 cars that entered in Le Mans.[43]
In 2016, they provided tyres to the Audi, Porsche and Toyota LMP1 teams, as well as the AF Corse, BMW, Corvette, Ford Ganassi, Porsche and Risi teams in GTE-Pro / GTLM. Beginning in 2019, Michelin will replace Continental as the official tyre of theWeatherTech SportsCar Championship.[44] Along with supplying tyres for IMSA's top three series, the partnership includes naming rights for the Sports Car Challenge series and the North American Endurance Cup.
Michelin has also supplied tyres in theEuropean Le Mans Series. They have been the exclusive supplier of the LMP3 class since 2015.
In theWorld Rally Championship, Michelin has been the supplier of the Audi, Citroën, Ford, Lancia, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Toyota and Volkswagen factory teams. Michelin Group brand BFGoodrich represented the brand in 2006 and 2007. The company was absent from 2008 to 2010, when Pirelli was signed as the official supplier, after which they returned to the series as an official supplier from 2011 to 2020 until Pirelli won the tender to once again become an official supplier from 2021 onwards.[citation needed]
BAZ Technology. Michelin employs specific tread construction, that uses spiral-wrapped nylon strips. The strips are applied in the tread area above steel belts in order to oppose centrifugal force, in order to avoid tyre distortion at high speeds.
EverGrip Technology. This is a patented safety technology that allows combining tread groove design. This way, it does not just wear down, but evolves due to high traction tread compound, which makes driving safer on snowy and wet roads.[clarification needed]
Zero Pressure Technology means a reinforced sidewall that is designed to continue supporting the vehicle's weight even when air pressure is lost. The technology allows driving at speeds between 50 and 55 mph for some time.
Active Wheel from Michelin includesin-wheel electric motors and a motorised suspension to free up space in the front or rear of the vehicle. This model also eliminates the need for other notorious space hogs like transmissions and exhaust systems. The wheels already have a vehicle ready to receive them, theHeuliez Will from Opel, and are also expected to come standard on theVenturi Volage sometime in 2012.[45] The project was interrupted in 2014.[46]
Michelin operates tyre retail and distribution in Europe under Euromaster and Blackcircles[47] brands, and in the US with its wholly owned subsidiary TCI Tire Centers.[48] TCI tire centers was folded into NTW, when Michelin partnered with Sumitomo to form the entity.[49] The company also manages its own e-commerce store, michelinman.com.
Michelin has long published two guidebook series, the Red Guides for Hotels and Restaurants, and the Green Guides for tourism. It now publishes several additional guides, as well as digital maps and guide products. Thecity maps in both the Red and the Green guides are of high quality, and are linked to the smaller-scale road maps.[citation needed]
Michelin publishes a variety of roadmaps, mostly of France but also of other European countries, countries in Africa,Thailand and the United States. They have recently embarked on e-commerce selling Michelin maps and guides directly to the public through, for example, their UK website.[50] The Michelin roadmaps were reproduced in England for the Allied invasion duringWorld War II. In 1940, the Germans also reproduced the 1938 edition of Michelin maps for the invasion.[51]
ViaMichelin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Michelin Group, and was started in 2001, to represent Michelin's digital mapping services. As of August 2008, ViaMichelin generates 400 million maps and routes per month on its main website.[52]
ViaMichelin provides mapping for internet, mobile and satellite navigation products with street level coverage of Europe, USA, Australia, and parts of Asia and South America.
From 1999, the company was headed by CEOÉdouard Michelin. On 26 May 2006, Édouard drowned while fishing near the island ofSein, off the coast ofBrittany.[55] His death broughtMichel Rollier, a 2nd cousin of Édouard Michelin, to the head of the company. Rollier was replaced in May 2012 byJean-Dominique Senard.[56] In 2018, Jean-Dominique Senard announced he would not seek re-election at the shareholders' meeting in 2019. As a result, the shareholders elected Florent Menegaux to succeed Senard starting in 2019.
The company also has its headquarters inGreenville, South Carolina, United States as Michelin North America. They first manufactured in the city in 1975 before opening up their headquarters a decade later.[54]
^ BLOUNT, T. (2005, September 23). F1 is treading lightlyAfter debacle at Indy, U.S. Grand Prix hopes fans return in 2006. Dallas Morning News, The (TX), p. 10C.
^Spurring, Quentin (15 April 2016).Le Mans, 1923–29: The Official History of the World's Greatest Motor Race. Sherborne, Dorset, UK: Evro Publishing. pp. 42, 86.ISBN9781910505083.OCLC951812820.
^Considine, Tim (March 2010). "Lessons Learned!".Road & Track.61 (7): 86.
.svg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
