The longevity of firms

Thought I would share a great article I read on the BBC called: "Can a company last forver"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16611040

We all know that when it comes to the product life cycle we sometimes have fads (which have very short lives) whereas classics such as Coca Cola seem to go on forever.

But can this idea be extended from products to actual companies themselves?

I found this incredible: "In Japan, there are more than 20,000 companies that are more than 100 years old, with a handful that are more than 1,000 years old, according to credit rating agency Tokyo Shoko Research."

I struggle to think what could be 1,000 years old in Japan! Possibly farming collectives? Or shipbuilders? I think I may investigate!