Editing Michelin (section)

==History==
[[File:Michelin Poster 1898.jpg|thumb|240px|left|An 1898 poster by "[[Marius Rossillon|O'Galop]]" of [[Michelin Man|Bibendum]], the Michelin Man]]
[[File:Michelin, advertising, 1922.png|thumb|240px|Michelin, advertising, Australia, 1922]]
[[File:Demonstratie Michelin auto-trein-515297.ogv|upright=1.35|thumb|Demonstration of the Michelin "car-train" with rubber tyres in the Netherlands in 1932]]
[[File:Agincourt Square.jpg|thumb|240px|View of old-fashioned Michelin omnibus and two michelin men with bystanders behind [[Charles Rolls]] statue, [[Monmouth]], Wales, {{Circa}} 1965–1970]]
[[File:Michelin Lithion 2.jpg|thumb|240px|Michelin Lithion 2, [[road bicycle]] tyre ]]
In 1889, two brothers, [[Édouard Michelin (born 1859)|Édouard Michelin]] (1859–1940) and [[André Michelin]] (1853–1931), ran a farm implement business in [[Clermont-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 a '''removable pneumatic tyre''' which was used by [[Charles Terront]] to win the world's first long-distance cycle race, the 1891 [[Paris–Brest–Paris]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In the 1920s and 1930s, Michelin operated large rubber plantations in Vietnam. Conditions at these plantations led to the famous labour movement [[Phú Riềng Đỏ]].<ref>Solheim, B: ''The Vietnam War Era: A Personal Journey'', page 11, Praeger Publishers, 2006. (See Google Books.)</ref>

[[File:Indochine française (1913).jpg|thumb|left|240px|Michelin's domination of the supply of rubber in [[French Indochina]] led to the [[Phú Riềng Đỏ]] strike in 1930. This resulted in France investigating Michelin's treatment of workers on its rubber plantations.<ref>[[Julian T. Jackson|Julian Jackson]], BBC Radio Three,  ''The Other Empire'', episode 4/5 first broadcast 15 September 2011</ref>]]

In 1934, Michelin introduced a tyre which, if punctured, would run on a special foam lining, a design now known as a '''[[run-flat tire|run-flat tyre]]''' (self-supporting type).{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Michelin developed and patented a key innovation in tyre history, the 1946 '''[[radial tire|radial tyre]]''', and successfully exploited this technological innovation to become one of the world's leading tyre manufacturers.<ref name="jags.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.jags.org/TechInfo/2001/05May01/tires/historyoftires.htm|title=History|website=www.jags.org|access-date=12 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150306211250/http://www.jags.org/TechInfo/2001/05May01/tires/historyoftires.htm|archive-date=6 March 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The radial was initially marketed as the "X" tyre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.senat.fr/basile/visio.do?id=a/commission/fin/Fin991120.html&idtable=a/commission/fin/Fin991120.html#toc18|title=Travaux de la commission des finances - Sénat|website=www.senat.fr|access-date=25 January 2022|archive-date=2 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702232857/http://www.senat.fr/basile/visio.do?id=a%2Fcommission%2Ffin%2FFin991120.html&idtable=a%2Fcommission%2Ffin%2FFin991120.html#toc18|url-status=live}}</ref> It was developed with the front-wheel-drive [[Citroën Traction Avant]] and [[Citroën 2CV]] in mind. Michelin had bought the then-bankrupt [[Citroën]] in the 1930s. Because of its superiority in handling and fuel economy, use of this tyre quickly spread throughout Europe and Asia.<ref name="jags.org"/> In the U.S., the outdated bias-ply [[tire|tyre]] persisted, with a market share of 87% in 1967.<ref name="jags.org"/>

In 1966, Michelin partnered with [[Sears]] to produce radial tyres under the [[Allstate (vehicle brand)|Allstate]] brand and was selling 1&nbsp;million units annually by 1970.<ref name=bloomberg />

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 for [[Original equipment manufacturer#Automotive parts|OEM]] tyres purchased by American automobile makers.<ref name='NYT'>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/23/business/michelin-to-acquire-uniroyal-goodrich.html| title=Michelin to Acquire Uniroyal Goodrich| author=JONATHAN P. HICKS| newspaper=New York Times| date=23 September 1989| access-date=12 August 2016| archive-date=22 August 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822144431/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/23/business/michelin-to-acquire-uniroyal-goodrich.html| url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref name=bloomberg>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2006-05-04/a-tale-of-two-tiresbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice |first=Ted |last=Welch |date=4 May 2006 |work=Bloomberg |title=A Tale of Two Tires |access-date=2 March 2019 |archive-date=13 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613210642/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2006-05-04/a-tale-of-two-tiresbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice |url-status=live }}</ref> In the U.S., the radial tyre now has a market share of 100%.<ref name="jags.org"/>

In addition to the private label and replacement tyre market, Michelin scored an early [[Original equipment manufacturer#Automotive parts|OEM]] tyre win in North America, when it received the contract for the 1970 [[Lincoln Continental Mark III|Continental Mark III]], the first American car with radial tyres fitted as standard.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/lincoln-continental-mark-iii-iv-v/|title=Mark of Success: The Lincoln Continental Mark Series|author=Aaron Severson|date=12 September 2009|access-date=12 August 2016|archive-date=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603135718/http://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/lincoln-continental-mark-iii-iv-v/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1989, Michelin acquired the recently merged tyre and rubber manufacturing divisions of the American firms [[Goodrich Corporation|B.F. Goodrich Company]] (founded in 1870) and Uniroyal, Inc. (founded in 1892 as the [[United States Rubber Company]]) from [[Clayton, Dubilier & Rice]].<ref name='NYT'/><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/23/nyregion/inside-982389.html INSIDE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701032020/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/23/nyregion/inside-982389.html |date=1 July 2018 }}, New York Times, Published: 23 September 1989</ref>  Uniroyal Australia had already been bought by [[Bridgestone]] in 1980. This purchase included the [[Norwood, North Carolina]] manufacturing plant which supplied tyres to the U.S. [[Space Shuttle Program]].<ref>Karen Barber, "Goodrich Expects to Sell Norwood Plant to Michelin", ''The Charlotte Observer'', 12 October 1988.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Woody |title=From first to last - shuttles have landed on Michelins |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82757849/from-first-to-last-shuttles-have-lande/ |access-date=4 August 2021 |work=The Greenville News |date=8 July 2011 |pages=1; 3}}</ref>

As of 1 September 2008, Michelin is again the world's largest tyre manufacturer after spending two years as number two behind Bridgestone.<ref>[http://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/michelin-becomes-worlds-largest-tire-maker-again.html "Michelin Becomes World's Largest Tire Maker Again: Overtakes Bridgestone by slim margin"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801023137/http://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/michelin-becomes-worlds-largest-tire-maker-again.html |date=1 August 2013 }}, Autoindustriya.com (10 September 2008).</ref> 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<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vanzarianvelope.net/anvelope-michelin-1.html|title=Michelin|work=Vanzarianvelope.net|access-date=18 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127214852/http://www.vanzarianvelope.net/anvelope-michelin-1.html|archive-date=27 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.michelin.com/corporate/actualites/en/actu_affich.jsp?id=26324&lang=EN&codeRubrique=5&actu=true|title=Vous êtes perdu(e) ? - Michelin|website=www.michelin.com|access-date=30 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130113017/https://www.michelin.com/corporate/actualites/en/actu_affich.jsp?id=26324&lang=EN&codeRubrique=5&actu=true|archive-date=30 November 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2019, Michelin announced that plants in Germany and France are to be closed soon.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-michelin-jobs-idUSKBN1WP0UM|title=Tire maker Michelin to close French site that has 619 staff|date=10 October 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=10 October 2019|language=en|archive-date=10 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010093251/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-michelin-jobs-idUSKBN1WP0UM|url-status=live}}</ref>

Michelin also controls 90% of Taurus Tyre in Hungary, as well as Kormoran,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kormoran-tyres.com/uk/Kormoran/Our-story|title=Kormoran|work=kormoran-tyres.com|access-date=6 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708151152/http://www.kormoran-tyres.com/uk/Kormoran/Our-story|archive-date=8 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> a Polish brand.

In December 2018, Michelin acquired [[Camso]], a manufacturer of off-the-road tyres, tracks, and accessories for power sports, agriculture, material handling and construction markets.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-michelin-to-buy-quebecs-camso-for-145-billion/|title=Michelin to acquire Quebec off-road tire maker Camso for US$1.45-billion|access-date=14 May 2019|archive-date=27 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127034118/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-michelin-to-buy-quebecs-camso-for-145-billion/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 22 January 2019, it was announced that Michelin had acquired Indonesian manufacturer [[Multistrada Arah Sarana]], which produces Achilles Radial and Corsa tyres.<ref>{{cite news|title=Michelin acquires leading Indonesian tire manufacturer Multistrada|url=https://www.michelin.com/en/press-releases/michelin-acquires-leading-indonesian-tire-manufacturer-multistrada/|date=22 January 2019|accessdate=28 May 2022}}</ref> On 19 June that year, Michelin owns 99.64% of the share capital of Multistrada.<ref>{{cite news|title=Michelin now holds 99.64% of the share capital of Multistrada|url=https://www.michelin.com/en/press-releases/michelin-now-holds-99-64-of-the-share-capital-of-ultistrada/|date=19 June 2019|accessdate=28 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fakhoury |first1=Khalidah |title=1.9 مليار يورو من الأرباح و 1250 تخفيض الوظائف: تعلن ميشلان نتائجها السنوية |url=https://www.3rabfon.com/economy/1-9-%d9%85%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b1-%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%b1%d9%88-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%ad-%d9%88-1250-%d8%aa%d8%ae%d9%81%d9%8a%d8%b6-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%88%d8%b8%d8%a7%d8%a6/174/ |website=شبكة عرب فون |access-date=13 February 2025}}</ref>