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In August 1900, Harvey S. Firestone founded The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio. Through the years and due to an increasing demand for its products, Firestone expanded the operation to other locations including Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. On the other side of the world, Shojiro Ishibashi created Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd. (later renamed Bridgestone Corporation). In 1988 the company he founded united with Firestone, forming the largest tire and rubber company in the world.
Although primarily known for its tires, Bridgestone Americas (BSA) is an industry leader in many other product lines, including building and industrial products, natural rubber, and fibers and textiles. Firestone Diversified Products, LLC (FSDP), which represents these businesses, is headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., and employs approximately 10,000 employees.
Firestone Building Products Company, LLC (FSBP)
Based in Indianapolis, Ind., Firestone Building Products Company, LLC (FSBP), a subsidiary of Firestone Diversified Products, LLC (FSDP), is responsible for managing FSDP’s construction businesses, which include Firestone Roofing Products Company; Firestone GenFlex Roofing Systems, LLC; Firestone Metal Products, LLC; Firestone Specialty Products Company, LLC; Firestone Building Products International; and Firestone Energy Solutions.
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Firestone GenFlex Roofing Systems, LLC (FSGF)
GenFlex was acquired by FSDP in September 2006 to serve as a complementary alternative to the Firestone brand in the commercial roofing market. GenFlex operates with an independent management team, technical force, sales organization and customer service department while utilizing Firestone manufacturing and FSDP shared services. GenFlex specializes in selling EPDM and TPO single-ply roofing systems along with polyiso insulation and associated accessories primarily to commercial roofing distributors. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., GenFlex is part of Firestone Building Products Company, LLC.
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Firestone Metal Products, LLC (FSMP)
Firestone Diversified Products, LLC acquired Copper Sales, Inc. in June 2005. As a result of the acquisition, Firestone offers a full line of metal systems marketed under the “UNA-CLAD by Firestone” name. Firestone Metal Products, LLC (FSMP) offers vertical wall panel. FSMP has more than 500,000 square feet of production located in seven facilities throughout the U.S. Headquartered in Anoka, Minn., FSMP is part of Firestone Building Products Company, LLC.
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Firestone Specialty Products Company, LLC (FSSP)
Firestone Specialty Products Company, LLC began as a spin-off of the Building Products business, and manufactures lining and geomembrane, modular roofing and thru-wall flashing products. The company’s geomembrane products, for example, are used in a wide variety of decorative and critical containment applications including commercial and residential ponds, waterfalls and streams; irrigation canals; storm water retention ponds; and aquaculture ponds, constructed wetland, anaerobic digesters and reservoir caps. Product offerings include PondGard Rubber Liners, Firestone EPDM Geomembrane and fPP-R Geomembrane, as well as a full line of accessories. FSSP is part of Firestone Building Products Company, LLC.
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Firestone Fibers & Textiles Company, LLC (FSFT)
Headquartered in Kings Mountain, N.C., FSFT has a total of three locations in the U.S. and Canada. FSFT’s employees manufacture nylon, polyester, rayon and fiberglass tire cord for Bridgestone Americas tire plants and other non-tire product manufacturers, along with other industrial fabrics, nylon 6 yarns and resins. A number of these products are for military applications and include such unique products as aircraft fuel cells, large capacity pillow tanks and the heavy industrial fabric used to reinforce the shielding skirts on the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC). Other non-military products include reinforcement fabrics for conveyor belts, pump and air brake diaphragms, air suspension systems, drive belts, gaskets and various coated fabrics. FSFT also produces all the weft insertion reinforcement materials used in Firestone EPDM and TPO roofing systems.
Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC (FSIP)
Success in designing and manufacturing air springs to cushion the ride of vehicles that support the world’s transportation infrastructure has fueled FSIP’s growth from a single plant in 1936 to becoming the world’s number one air spring manufacturer. With employees throughout the world, the company’s U.S. headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Ind. FSIP has a European office and technical center in Arnhem, Netherlands; two North American plants; international manufacturing facilities in Brazil, Poland, India and Costa Rica; and an assembly facility in China. From these locations, FSIP has the global footprint to supply customers ranging from Daimler Trucks and PACCAR, to Lincoln and Land Rover.
In addition to supplying Airide™ air springs to vehicle original equipment manufacturers, FSIP also makes air springs for the industrial market, and the heavy duty and light duty aftermarkets. In the enthusiast aftermarket, FSIP is an industry leader with the Ride-Rite™, Coil-Rite™ and Level-Rite™ brands of air helper springs and Intelliride™ air control systems.
Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC (FSNR)
Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC, parent of Firestone Liberia, traces its origins back to 1926 when The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company first established a natural rubber production facility in Liberia, West Africa. The company operates a 118,000-acre rubber growing and processing facility and employs more than 6,500 employees who harvest and process natural rubber and latex. After processing, the natural rubber (block rubber and liquid latex) is shipped to the United States. The block rubber is used by Bridgestone Americas tire plants in the manufacture of tires. The latex is sold to third party North American manufacturers of dipped goods, adhesives and carpet backing. In 2008, this business began production of environmentally friendly Hevea wood, recovered from end-of-lifecycle rubber trees, for use in furniture, flooring, and other value-added applications.
For more information, please visit www.BridgestoneAmericas.com.
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