Two brothers, Andre Michelin and Edouard Michelin founded Michelin company in 1888, and the company’s work was to manufacture tires for horse-drawn carriages and bicycles. This was a rubber factory even in 1889. Michelin brothers had to work on a cyclist show, and they were facing a problem of a damaged pneumatic tire. Repairing the tires took several hours because the tire had been glued to the bicycle’s wheel. While doing the repairing, an idea came to their minds.
They thought of making a removable tire. In 1891 the Michelin brothers made their first pneumatic removable tire, and these tires were used by Charles Terront. The result was winning the long-distance cycle race called the Paris-Brest-Paris. They wanted to show the world that pneumatic tires could also be utilized for motor vehicles. They used pneumatic tires in a car; by bolts, they were held onto the rims. This car was part of the Bordeaux road race held in 1895 in Paris. The car did not win the race, but the company successfully made people take an interest in pneumatic tires. This is how Michelin became Europe’s chief producer of tires.
The company kept on growing, and a lot of innovative ideas were implemented. In 1898 Bebendum was introduced, and it came to be known as The Michelin Man; and since then, The Michelin’s marketing Bibendum has undergone a lot of transformations.
In 1906 this company established a foreign plant in Italy. This was their first foreign plant. This plant provides services to many countries. In 1951 this company was recognized as a holding company interested in rubber products, tires, and synthetic rubber.
They had the world’s most recognizable mascots. The radial tire was developed in 1946, and with it, the tire industry got revolutionized. In 1948 they were the first company to bring to market the steel-belted radial tires. By 1968 Michelin reached a hundred percent market share. Michelin kept on growing and became one of the world’s biggest tire companies. Its biggest competitor for the top spot on the market was Bridgestone, and it was often in competition with Bridgestone. Michelin has more than 114,000 employees worldwide.
Michelin’s Marketing campaigns
Michelin’s marketing campaigns have been countless, but the one campaign that had a more significant impact and was more surprising than the others was The Michelin Guide. This campaign is still the most impactful campaign of the company. The purpose of this campaign was to encourage tourism by car and to promote the Michelin tire company.
The Michelin brothers in the year 1900 created a guide for motorists. This was for France. They wanted to encourage the motorists to drive to the mentioned locations—the manual provided information on gas stations, maps, restaurants, and instructions on changing the tire. Thirty-five thousand copies of the early guide were prepared, and they were distributed throughout France. This first guide was also called Red Guide. It was an aid to those who wanted to travel to France. The book was pocket size. French towns were listed that could contain garages and hotels. The red guide provided information on what places a tourist could visit in France. The small book also guided people on the quality of the restaurants and lodgings based on what they had to offer to the tourists, such as excellent food, gardens, swimming pools, air conditioning, and tennis courts. The book also rated restaurants. In 1957 the Red Guide was published in Western European countries. Guides on Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Great Britain, West Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Belgium were also published.
Michelin Stars
In 1926 Michelin started awarding restaurants with stars. They created a three-star system.
1 Star: An excellent restaurant in its category
2 Stars: Worth a detour due to its superb cooking
3 Stars: Worth an extraordinary journey due to its exceptional cuisine
Getting a Michelin Star today is considered the highest recognition for a restaurant, and in 1900 it all started with the idea of incentivizing driving.
Further Guides for Travelers
They also created Green Guides to help those who may need more information on significant tourist places like natural wonders, museums, and other areas of importance in a region.
Michelin and MotoGP
From 1972 to 2008, Michelin was an active participant in MotoGP. In 1984 they brought radial construction to MotoGP, and later they introduced compound tires. In 36 years, Michelin had 360 victories. Michelin had had many achievements.
Why Michelin?
Michelin believes that mobility is vital for human development, and they keep on innovating to make mobility safer, environmentally friendly, and more efficient for people worldwide. Michelin does not compromise on quality. The company has helped the world in developing modern transport solutions. Through continuous innovation, Michelin brought freedom and economic development. Michelin, since its beginning, has been connected with world firsts: first removable bicycle tire in 1891, first paved runway in 1916, first radial tire in 1946, if we name a few.
The Michelin Group provides tires made specifically for specific regions and places according to their needs. Tires are made keeping your particular needs in view, for example, the road conditions of your area. They have many production facilities all over the world. Michelin’s employees are committed to producing the most relevant and safest tires for you. Michelin is a leader in sustainable development and innovation for the mobility of goods and people. As a global company, Michelin provides tires to more than 170 countries and is famous for its quality tires. Canada and the USA are also included in those 170 countries, and Michelin has done great work in producing quality tires that suit the needs of its customers. Michelin tires are the best for our region. Canadian weather conditions are rough, and vehicles need tires that can endure, and Michelin is the name of endurance.