Pneu Michelin (Firm)

Founded in Clermont-Ferrand, France, in 1888 by brothers André and Édouard Michelin, the company first made tires for bicycles and horse-drawn vehicles before becoming an early leader in pneumatic automobile tires. Its long history is closely tied to transportation innovation, and the Michelin name quickly became known far beyond France.

Michelin is also unusual for the way it connected driving with travel itself. In 1900, it introduced the first Michelin Guide, originally created to encourage motorists to travel more, and over time that guide became one of the most famous restaurant and hotel rating systems in the world. The company’s mascot, Bibendum—the Michelin Man—also became one of the best-known advertising figures of the modern era.

Today, Michelin is widely recognized as a major tire manufacturer, but its story reaches into maps, travel guides, branding, and the culture of the road. That mix of engineering and everyday travel history gives the company a place in far more than just the automotive world.