# The Michelin Man's History



## The Davy Crockett (Jul 1, 2014)

Do you know about the Michelin Man's checkered (flag) past? :unsure:

If not, you might enjoy reading the article about the giant rubber man full of air (Maybe he should run for office?) at logodesignlove.com. 

From the article:



> At the Lyon Universal Exhibition in 1894, the Michelin brothers noticed an evocatively-shaped pile of tyres on their stand. Édouard said to André, “Look, with arms it would make a man.” André Michelin would remember this moment a few years later.
> 
> In 1898, when looking at an advertising sketch for a brasserie drawn by O’Galop, André Michelin had an idea: why not replace the bearded giant raising his beer mug with a man made of a pile of tyres and holding a cup filled with nails and broken glass. The latin quotation from Horace, “Nunc est Bibendum” (now it is time to drink) declared by the character was also reused by Michelin...


There are plenty of pictures, and even a short video with the article.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 1, 2014)

Hey, every Greyhound bus uses Michelin tires now! Michelin XZA2 Energy radials. No more Firestone and Goodyear.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jul 2, 2014)

That's anti-American.


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 2, 2014)

Green Maned Lion said:


> That's anti-American.


Are there even any tire plants left in the US or is everything imported from third world countries? (thinking of poor Akron,Dayton and similar places that were booming because there were good paying work but are now shells of themselves. NIMBYs and Greed killed lots of good jobs!)


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## Caesar La Rock (Jul 2, 2014)

jimhudson said:


> Green Maned Lion said:
> 
> 
> > That's anti-American.
> ...


I think Firestone and Goodyear are still made in the US, I hope. Most of our buses down here use Goodyear tires. I haven't noticed what tires are used on motorcoaches, but I'll check soon.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jul 2, 2014)

I believe Michelin makes tired here. But they are a French company. Greyhound is an American company and should use American tires if they insist on crappy American busses.


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## PRR 60 (Jul 2, 2014)

Green Maned Lion said:


> I believe Michelin makes tired here. But they are a French company. Greyhound is an American company and should use American tires if they insist on crappy American busses.


Greyhound is owned by a UK company - FirstGroup.


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 2, 2014)

You mean the business guru got one wrong???!!!! Thanks Bill, the Lion needs to have his main tweeked once in awhile! LOL


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 3, 2014)

Hmm, "crappy American busses" and "tired". You mean "tires"? Hmm, Amerikanisch Reisebusse sind sehr gut, mein Freund! Rennt, Greyhound, Rennt! Geht mit die schwarzen Nase!

Edit: Not to mention, Greyhound's executive is Canadian!


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## NS VIA Fan (Jul 3, 2014)

[SIZE=11pt]Where I live in Nova Scotia, Michelin is a major employer with three tire plants producing for the North American market. Michelin also has tire plants in Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg and Columbia South Carolina and Dothan and Tuscaloosa Alabama etc. Full list here: [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]http://michelinmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-Michelin-NA-Fact-Sheet1.pdf[/SIZE]


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## Green Maned Lion (Jul 3, 2014)

Alle guten dinge sind Deutsche. Ich ziehe meine rentiere nasen rot.

I did not know that Greyhounds executive was Kanuckistani. Third world management explains a lot. Chrysler is an American company. It doesn't matter that it's headquarters are in London, that it's parent company is British, or that it's CEO is Italian. Greyhound is an American company no matter who owns it.


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## Blackwolf (Jul 3, 2014)

jimhudson said:


> Green Maned Lion said:
> 
> 
> > That's anti-American.
> ...


I have Michelin's on my Ford Escape, and they're stamped "MADE IN USA" right there on the sidewall. Doing a little more research shows they came from the plant in [SIZE=11pt]Tuscaloosa, Alabama[/SIZE]. Manufactured date was the 7th week of 2013.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jul 3, 2014)

So did my Mercedes. I'd still call it a German car. Even if it was manufactured where the tusks are looser.


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