Nothing lasts forever – even cold November rain

In 576 A.D., Japanese temple-building company Kongo Gumi was founded.
In 2006 A.D, burdened by an unserviceable debt load and suffering from a downturn in demand for temples, Kongo Gumi sold itself to another Japanese construction firm, ending the company’s run as Oldest Company in the World.
(The current winner is also Japanese: the Hoshi Ryokan (hotel) in Komatsu was founded in 718 A.D., making it 1,289 years old this year.)