Still standing: These companies have been around for a lot longer than you think

Keeping a company afloat is no easy task and attrition among some of the biggest ones has been accelerating. A recent study by McKinsey revealed that in 1958 the average lifespan of companies listed in Standard & Poor’s 500 was 61 years. That iwas down to under 18 years by 2016 and forecast to fall to 15 this decade.

Many companies get bought out, merge or go bankrupt succumbing to inefficiencies that grow as the business grows. However, there are some notable exceptions that have managed to run the gauntlet surviving into old age.

These companies have been around for a lot longer than you think

Japan is home to tens of thousands of businesses that have been around from over 100 years like Toshiba and Nintendo, which have been around for 149 years and 136 years, respectively. The former began as two companies, one that made mechanical devices and another that made incandescent lamps. The latter started out making playing cards before expanding to making toys and electronic devices.

The island nation is also where what is believed to be the longest surviving company in the world is located, Nissiyama Onsen Keiunkan, a hotel founded in 705. It’s one of a handful of companies in Japan that have been around over 1,000 years.

These extremely long-lived businesses in Japan are called shinise. Professor Makoto Kanda told the BBC that their longevity comes down to keeping the business small, family-run and their credo of not just seeking to make a profit.

Japan isn’t the only country where companies have managed to survive for hundreds of years. The world’s oldest limited liability corporation is Stora Enso, a Finnish-based paper and pulp manufacturer.

The company was created through the merger of Finnish company Enso Oyj and Swedish company Stora Kopparbergs Bergslags Aktiebolag (STORA). Stora began as namely a copper mining operation near Falun, Sweden and its history dates back to 1288.

You may also be interested in: Goodbye to North America’s oldest company: 355-year-old legendary business permanently closes 80 department stores

Another Finnish company, which is a spring chicken by comparison but has continued to keep the business going for 160 years, is Nokia. The telecommunications, IT and consumer electronics multinational began as a single pulp mill before expanding into numerous other ventures, including shoes.

In the United States, while the nation is relatively young it has one company that was founded not long after the Revolutionary War that is still around. In 1802, a French immigrant, Éleuthère Irénée du Pont, established DuPont in Delaware to produce black gunpowder. The company invests a considerable amount each year, $531 billion in 2024, to research and develop to keep a steady flow of innovations coming.

Other American companies that have proven their longevity include Procter & Gamble (P&G), founded in1837, ExxonMobil, which traces its history back to the formation of Standard Oil in 1870 by John D. Rockefeller, and General Electric that was created in 1892 through the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric.

Related stories

Society

Raising the 50501 alarm for Trump

Animals

Plan to stop “toilet snake” invasion begins with a $10,000 prize

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.