History of Bridgestone Australia

1952 - S.A. Rubber Mills Ltd. Establish a Dandenong, Victoria, plant to support the rapidly growing automotive industry.

1952 - Plastics extrusion is introduced at Edwardstown for the appliance and automotive industry.

1956 - The first Australian polyurethane foam is manufactured at Dandenong under licence to Bayer, Germany.

1956 - Dandenong, using its Urethane technology, commences manufacture of soft moulded safety parts for automobiles.

1957 - More than 1,000 are now employed.

1958 - A new plant for plastics extrusion production is constructed at the Edwardstown site.

1958 - The first moulded armrests are made at Dandenong.

1959 - The first automotive instrument panel pads are made at Dandenong.

1959 - S.A. Rubber Mills acquires Rubber Plastics Ltd., Silverwater, N.S.W. to increase its involvement in the appliance industry.

The Dandenong Plant, opened in 1952 as a second manufacturing centre for automotive parts, is now the centre for consumer products.	In 1959, after the first 20 years, the Company proudly joined the Edwardstown Plant's local council parade.