Let’s go back to 1829, when the Scottish Elisabeth Pugh-Barker, niece of the chemist who discovered rubber was soluble in benzine (Charles Macintosh), married French entrepreneur Edouard Daubree of Auvergne. She started making bouncing rubber balls in her husband’s workshop, just like her uncle used to do for her, and this brought rubber to the city of Clermont-Ferrand.
Later, Edouard Daubree partnered with his cousin, Aristide Barbier, to start a farm machinery business, for which Daubree was in charge of production. The quality of rubber hoses, valves, fittings, joints, and other components helped spread the pair’s name. They expanded their business, but both founders died in 1863 and 1864, leading to financial difficulties for the company.
Barbier’s daughter Adele, who was married to a man named Jules Michelin, believed rubber could become profitable, but she needed help. Her sons Andre and Edouard joined her (pictured below), with the latter taking control of the company. At this point, the company was renamed Michelin & Cie (Michelin & Company).
Shortly after this, Michelin launched a brake pad for horse-drawn carriages and hackney cabs called “The Silent.” Yeah, Michelin made brake pads before it made tires.
Until the accidental death of Edouard Michelin in 2006, a Michelin was always at the top of the company.
