Tire brand
BFGoodrich
All-terrain and performance tires — the spirit of adventure.
IntermédiairePerformanceCamionnette
Brand profile
BFGoodrich is an American tire brand founded in 1870 in Akron, Ohio, by Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. A pioneer of the automobile tire in the United States, it has belonged to France's Michelin group since 1990. It is recognized for its high-performance passenger tires, its All-Terrain and Mud-Terrain off-road lines, and its rich motorsport heritage, notably in the Dakar Rally and the Baja 1000.
Positioning: Positioning: High-performance passenger, ultra-high-performance, and off-road light-truck/SUV tires.
History
BFGoodrich was born in 1870 in Akron, Ohio, when physician Benjamin Franklin Goodrich bought a small rubber manufacturer and founded Goodrich, Tew & Co., the first rubber factory west of the Appalachians. The firm quickly stood out through innovation: in 1896, it became the first American manufacturer to produce automobile tires. Over the course of the 20th century, the B.F. Goodrich Company grew to rank among the largest tire manufacturers in the world, while also developing industrial, chemical, and aerospace operations. Its tires equipped landmark feats: the first transcontinental automobile crossing of the United States in 1903, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis in 1927, and later the landing gear of the Space Shuttle Columbia. In 1947, BFGoodrich launched the first tubeless tire marketed in America, then introduced in 1965 the first radial tire manufactured in the United States. In 1986, the tire division was divested and merged with Uniroyal to form The Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Company. In 1990, France's Michelin group acquired this entity for roughly 1.5 billion dollars, making BFGoodrich a brand in the Michelin portfolio, a position it holds to this day. The original industrial company, Goodrich Corporation, continued its aerospace operations before being absorbed by United Technologies in 2012. Under Michelin, BFGoodrich refocused on high-performance passenger and ultra-high-performance tires and, above all, on its off-road lines for light trucks and SUVs, a market where its reputation is firmly established. The brand is widely distributed across North America, including Canada, where it operates a website and a dedicated retailer network for the Canadian market.
Technologies
BFGoodrich draws on technologies derived from motorsport and adapted for both road and off-road use. Its passenger and performance lines use silica-infused rubber compounds (COMP-2 compound) to optimize grip on dry and wet surfaces without sacrificing longevity, along with g-Control sidewall inserts that increase lateral stiffness for sharper cornering precision. On the off-road side, the brand developed CoreGard sidewall technology to protect against cuts and punctures, reinforced rubber compounds derived from racing tires, and interlocking 3D sipes that mesh together under load to improve traction. Several All-Terrain and Mud-Terrain models feature mud-phobic shoulder bars that clear mud and rock, as well as reinforced multi-ply casings built to withstand demanding use on jobsites and trails.
Innovations
BFGoodrich claims several North American firsts: the first automobile tire manufactured in the United States (1896), the country's first tubeless tire (1947), the first American radial tire (1965), and early patents on run-flat tires (1967). Its modern research is closely tied to off-road competition: the brand has racked up numerous victories at the Baja 1000 and the Paris-Dakar Rally, where it has been a long-standing tire partner. These events serve as a laboratory for rubber compounds, sidewall architecture, and tread patterns, which are then transferred to production tires. As part of the Michelin group, BFGoodrich also benefits from advances in sustainability, energy efficiency, and materials, which are progressively integrated into its road and off-road lines.
Manufacturing
BFGoodrich's headquarters and identity remain American, a legacy of its founding in Akron, Ohio. Now a brand of the Michelin group, its North American production relies notably on the plants in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Woodburn, Indiana, which manufacture a significant share of the brand's passenger and off-road tires. BFGoodrich also benefits from Michelin's global industrial network. In Canada, the brand has no known dedicated plant but is widely distributed there: it operates a website and catalog specific to the Canadian market, along with a vast network of retailers, garages, and tire centers, which ensures good availability in Quebec for its passenger, performance, and light-truck/SUV lines.
Reputation
BFGoodrich enjoys a solid reputation, particularly for its All-Terrain and Mud-Terrain off-road tires, considered benchmarks for trucks and SUVs in Quebec and across North America. Its passenger and ultra-high-performance tires generally earn good reviews for grip and value for money. For Quebec winters, several road and off-road models (including the Advantage T/A Sport and the All-Terrain KO2/KO3) carry the 3PMSF symbol (mountain and snowflake), making them compliant with Quebec's winter tire requirement between December 1 and March 15, even though a true winter tire remains superior on ice. The brand is readily available at Quebec retailers.
Models and families
Related BFGoodrich models
These families are presented for reference. Actual availability depends on the catalogue and sizes.