Dunlop Rubber
Encyclopedia
Dunlop Rubber was a company based in the United Kingdom
which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.
in Dublin in Westland Row, to acquire and commercialise John Boyd Dunlop
's patent for pneumatic tyres
for bicycles. This was the period of great demand for bicycles, and Willie Hume
had created a publicity storm by winning seven out of the first eight races in which the pneumatic tyre was ever used, both in Ireland and England.
Commercial production began in late 1890 in Belfast, and quickly expanded to fulfill consumer demand. After losing a patent battle to the assignees of an earlier pneumatic tyre patent filed by inventor Robert William Thomson
, Dunlop assigned his patent to William Harvey Du Cros in return for 1,500 shares in the resultant company, and in the end did not make any great fortune by his invention.
In the early 1890s Dunlop Tyre established divisions in Europe and North America. In 1893 a branch office and factory was established in Australia, in Melbourne. In 1896 the company registered a trademark and incorporated a subsidiary in England.
Although the pneumatic tyre was successful, Dunlop had financial difficulties, and had to sell its overseas operations. A significant disposal was the sale of the Australian division in 1899 to a Canadian consortium, which incorporated it as the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company of Australasia Ltd. Since then, Dunlop Australia has not been associated with the parent company, except for a 25% share of Dunlop Australia owned by the British company from 1927 to 1984. As a result, the right to the Dunlop brands in Australia and New Zealand have had different ownership from those in the remainder of the world.
Initially the company subcontracted manufacture, but by 1902 it had its own manufacturing subsidiary, Dunlop Rubber Co. Ltd, in Birmingham
, England.
In 1900 the company started production of tyres for motorcars.
The company continued its expansion, and in 1918 production started at a new plant in Birmingham, known commonly as "Fort Dunlop
" because of the fortress-like appearance of the main building. By 1920 the company had selling subsidiaries or divisions in South Africa, South America, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and India, manufacturing operations in France, Japan and the USA, and rubber plantations in Malaya and Ceylon.
group, and the Dunlop name was applied to footwear and clothing.
In 1925 a separate Aerospace Division was formed to cater to the growing aircraft industry's demand for tyres and rubber products.
In 1929 the company discovered the use of latex foam
for mattresses, which was then marketed with the trade-name Dunlopillo. During the 1930s other products involving the use of latex were added to the company's range, including golf balls and tennis racquets.
In 1943, the Admiralty Experimental Diving Unit was tasked to develop a suit
for divers. Dunlop Rubber produced the Admiralty Underwater Swim Suit Mark I and swim fins. They also designed an oxygen rebreather
.
, Avon
, Firestone
and Michelin
) companies had arrangements which resulted in fixed prices. These arrangements had to change, and Dunlop's market share decreased.
A further factor in Dunlop's decline was the decision during the early 1960s to develop textile radial tyres rather than the more durable steel-belted radial tyres. Dunlop lost market share to the Michelin company and other manufacturers marketing steel-belted tyres.
In 1968 Dunlop acquired George Angus Ltd, a manufacturer of a wide range of products based on rubber, from rubber boots to O-rings and fire hoses.
Dunlop continued to be active in motorsport, and from 1950 to 1977 was one of the suppliers of Formula One tyres
.
In 1971 Dunlop merged with Pirelli
company of Italy to form the world's third largest tyre company. The merger was not a takeover by either company, but a joint venture arrangement where each company took minority interests in the other's subsidiaries. The merger was not successful, and the joint venture was dissolved in 1981.
In the 1970s, Dunlop Rubber pioneered the world's first 'fail safe' tyres, permitting a vehicle to continue moving safely even after a blowout.
Ltd of Japan (which had grown out of Dunlop's original Japanese factory).
During the 1990s BTR sold the various Dunlop companies:
sold tyres for road vehicles with the Dunlop brand from 1985 to 1999. In 1999 Sumitomo RI and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
of the US formed a joint venture. Goodyear obtained the Dunlop tyre assets in Europe and the US, and Sumitomo RI continued to sell Dunlop tyres in other countries.
The Dunlop Tyres company in South Africa is now owned by the Indian company, Apollo Tyres
. In India, ownership of the Dunlop brand is split with a number of different organisations owning registrations for their own particular products.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.
Early history
The company originated in 1889, when Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co. Ltd was formed in Oriel HouseOriel House, Westland Row
Oriel House, Westland Row is a building at the intersection of Westland Row and Fenian Street in Dublin.It was the headquarters of Dunlop Rubber, and the address at which the original pneumatic tyre patent was draughted in 1893 'for the wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles'.During the Irish...
in Dublin in Westland Row, to acquire and commercialise John Boyd Dunlop
John Boyd Dunlop
John Boyd Dunlop was a Scottish inventor. He was one of the founders of the rubber company that bore his name, Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company....
's patent for pneumatic tyres
Bicycle tire
A bicycle tire is a tire that fits on the wheel of a bicycle, unicycle, tricycle, quadracycle, bicycle trailer, or trailer bike. They may also be used on wheelchairs and handcycles, especially for racing...
for bicycles. This was the period of great demand for bicycles, and Willie Hume
Willie Hume
William "Willie" Hume was an Irish cyclist. He demonstrated the supremacy of John Boyd Dunlop's newly invented pneumatic tyres in 1889, winning the tyre's first ever races in Ireland and then England.-Career:...
had created a publicity storm by winning seven out of the first eight races in which the pneumatic tyre was ever used, both in Ireland and England.
Commercial production began in late 1890 in Belfast, and quickly expanded to fulfill consumer demand. After losing a patent battle to the assignees of an earlier pneumatic tyre patent filed by inventor Robert William Thomson
Robert William Thomson
Robert William Thomson , from Stonehaven, Scotland, was the original inventor of the pneumatic tyre.-Biography:...
, Dunlop assigned his patent to William Harvey Du Cros in return for 1,500 shares in the resultant company, and in the end did not make any great fortune by his invention.
In the early 1890s Dunlop Tyre established divisions in Europe and North America. In 1893 a branch office and factory was established in Australia, in Melbourne. In 1896 the company registered a trademark and incorporated a subsidiary in England.
Although the pneumatic tyre was successful, Dunlop had financial difficulties, and had to sell its overseas operations. A significant disposal was the sale of the Australian division in 1899 to a Canadian consortium, which incorporated it as the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company of Australasia Ltd. Since then, Dunlop Australia has not been associated with the parent company, except for a 25% share of Dunlop Australia owned by the British company from 1927 to 1984. As a result, the right to the Dunlop brands in Australia and New Zealand have had different ownership from those in the remainder of the world.
Initially the company subcontracted manufacture, but by 1902 it had its own manufacturing subsidiary, Dunlop Rubber Co. Ltd, in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England.
In 1900 the company started production of tyres for motorcars.
The company continued its expansion, and in 1918 production started at a new plant in Birmingham, known commonly as "Fort Dunlop
Fort Dunlop
Fort Dunlop , is the common name of the original tyre factory and main office of Dunlop Rubber in the Erdington district of Birmingham, England. It was established in 1917, and by 1954 the entire factory area employed 10,000 workers...
" because of the fortress-like appearance of the main building. By 1920 the company had selling subsidiaries or divisions in South Africa, South America, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and India, manufacturing operations in France, Japan and the USA, and rubber plantations in Malaya and Ceylon.
Diversification
In the 1920s, competition from foreign companies in the UK tyre market intensified, and Dunlop diversified. In 1925 Dunlop acquired the Charles MackintoshMackintosh
The Mackintosh or Macintosh is a form of waterproof raincoat, first sold in 1824, made out of rubberised fabric...
group, and the Dunlop name was applied to footwear and clothing.
In 1925 a separate Aerospace Division was formed to cater to the growing aircraft industry's demand for tyres and rubber products.
In 1929 the company discovered the use of latex foam
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
for mattresses, which was then marketed with the trade-name Dunlopillo. During the 1930s other products involving the use of latex were added to the company's range, including golf balls and tennis racquets.
In 1943, the Admiralty Experimental Diving Unit was tasked to develop a suit
Diving suit
A diving suit is a garment or device designed to protect a diver from the underwater environment. A diving suit typically also incorporates an air-supply .-History:...
for divers. Dunlop Rubber produced the Admiralty Underwater Swim Suit Mark I and swim fins. They also designed an oxygen rebreather
Rebreather
A rebreather is a type of breathing set that provides a breathing gas containing oxygen and recycled exhaled gas. This recycling reduces the volume of breathing gas used, making a rebreather lighter and more compact than an open-circuit breathing set for the same duration in environments where...
.
Post war
After the war, the UK tyre market was a sellers' market. By 1955 Dunlop had almost half of the market. A report by the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission in that year found that Dunlop and the four other main sellers in the UK market (GoodyearGoodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
, Avon
Avon Rubber
Avon Rubber p.l.c. is a manufacturer of high technology rubber-based products for a number of manufacturing sectors. It is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index...
, Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
and Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
) companies had arrangements which resulted in fixed prices. These arrangements had to change, and Dunlop's market share decreased.
A further factor in Dunlop's decline was the decision during the early 1960s to develop textile radial tyres rather than the more durable steel-belted radial tyres. Dunlop lost market share to the Michelin company and other manufacturers marketing steel-belted tyres.
In 1968 Dunlop acquired George Angus Ltd, a manufacturer of a wide range of products based on rubber, from rubber boots to O-rings and fire hoses.
Dunlop continued to be active in motorsport, and from 1950 to 1977 was one of the suppliers of Formula One tyres
Formula One tyres
Formula One tyres play a significant role in the performance of a Formula One car. The tyres have undergone significant changes throughout the history of Formula One, with different manufacturers and specifications used in the sport.-History:...
.
In 1971 Dunlop merged with Pirelli
Pirelli
Pirelli & C. SpA is a diverse multinational company based in Milan, Italy. The company, the world’s fifth largest tyre manufacturer, is present in over 160 countries, has 20 manufacturing sites around the world and a network of around 10,000 distributors and retailers.Founded in Milan in 1872,...
company of Italy to form the world's third largest tyre company. The merger was not a takeover by either company, but a joint venture arrangement where each company took minority interests in the other's subsidiaries. The merger was not successful, and the joint venture was dissolved in 1981.
In the 1970s, Dunlop Rubber pioneered the world's first 'fail safe' tyres, permitting a vehicle to continue moving safely even after a blowout.
Takeover and breakup
By the early 1980s Dunlop was much indebted and had severe financial difficulties. In 1984 it sold the US tyre subsidiary, Dunlop Tire Corporation, to its management, and sold its interest in Dunlop India to the Jumbo Group of Dubai. Then in 1985 the company was acquired by BTR plc. The road tyre assets, including the right to use the Dunlop name for road tyres, were sold immediately to Sumitomo Rubber IndustriesSumitomo Rubber Industries
is a tire and rubber company based in Japan. It is part of the Sumitomo Group.The company traces its origins to 1909, when the Sumitomo Group made an investment in Dunlop Japan, the newly formed Japanese subsidiary of the British company Dunlop Rubber...
Ltd of Japan (which had grown out of Dunlop's original Japanese factory).
During the 1990s BTR sold the various Dunlop companies:
- In 1996 the Dunlop Sports group, Dunlop SlazengerDunlop SlazengerDunlop Slazenger was a sports equipment manufacturing company formed by BTR plc by consolidating the various sports brands acquired as part their take-over of Dunlop Holdings in 1985...
, was sold to its management, backed by CINVenCinvenCinven is a British private equity firm founded in 1977 with offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Hong Kong. Currently, the company has raised four funds, with the last one signing up €6.5 billion...
. Since 2004 it has been owned by Sports DirectSports DirectSports Direct International plc is a British retailing group. Founded in 1982 by former county squash coach Mike Ashley, the company is now the UK's largest sporting retailer through a number of retail subsidiaries and sports equipment brands. Although now a publicly traded company on the London...
. - In 1996 the Dunlop Footwear business was sold to the Dutch company Hevea.
- In 1996 Dunlop Adhesives was sold to Norcros plc, who in 2001 sold it to Ardex GmbHArdex GmbHArdex GmbH is a manufacturer of special materials for the building trade with its place of business in Witten. It is operated as an independent family-owned business by Mark Eslamlooy, director of the management board and Dr. Rüdiger Oberste-Padtberg...
. - In 1996 Dunlop Kenya was sold to local Kenyan interests. Dunlop Industries Ltd, a manufacturer of PVC floor tiles, is now a subsidiary of the Kenyan company Olympic Capital Holdings.
- In 1996 Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Ltd was sold to form a separate independent company.
- In 1997 the Dunlopillo company was sold to its management as Dunlop Latex Foam Ltd. In 2002 the Dunlopillo brand was itself divided, when the UK rights to the brand were sold to Hilding Anders.
- In 1998 BTR sold its Aerospace GroupBTR Aerospace GroupBTR Aerospace Group was renamed by BTR plc after the acquisition of the Dunlop Aviation Division from Dunlop Rubber in 1985.It was a group of four companies:*Standard Aero, in Canada*Dunlop Aviation Division*Aero Engine Equipment*Dunlop Precision Rubber...
, including Dunlop Equipment and Dunlop Precision Rubber, to Doughty Hanson & CoDoughty Hanson & CoDoughty Hanson & Co is a British private equity fund manager focused on leveraged buyout and recapitalization transactions primarily of upper middle-market companies in Europe...
to form Dunlop Standard Aerospace GroupDunlop Standard Aerospace GroupDunlop Standard Aerospace Group Ltd was formed in 1998 from the assets of BTR Aerospace Group when they were purchased by Doughty Hanson & Co.In 2004 the company was sold and split into two...
. The new group was itself dissolved in 2004, and the Dunlop Aerospace companies were acquired by Meggitt plc. Meggitt has inherited the original English company, now named Dunlop Holdings Ltd, incorporated in 1896. - In 1998 BTR sold its share of the South African subsidiary, Dunlop Africa Ltd, which was itself divided in 2001. The industrial products division was sold to become Dunlop Industrial Products and Dunlop Rubber Mouldings. The tyre business, Dunlop Tyres International, was bought by Apollo TyresApollo TyresApollo Tyres Ltd is the world's 15th biggest tyre manufacturer, with annual revenues of Rs 88.6 billion in 2010. It was founded in 1976. Its first plant was commissioned in Perambra, Kerala. In 2006 the company acquired Dunlop Tyres International of South Africa...
of India in 2006. Dunlop Tyres International owned rights to various Dunlop brands in a number of countries outside South Africa, and these rights were sold to Sports DirectSports DirectSports Direct International plc is a British retailing group. Founded in 1982 by former county squash coach Mike Ashley, the company is now the UK's largest sporting retailer through a number of retail subsidiaries and sports equipment brands. Although now a publicly traded company on the London...
in 2006.
Dunlop Tyres since 1985
Sumitomo Rubber IndustriesSumitomo Rubber Industries
is a tire and rubber company based in Japan. It is part of the Sumitomo Group.The company traces its origins to 1909, when the Sumitomo Group made an investment in Dunlop Japan, the newly formed Japanese subsidiary of the British company Dunlop Rubber...
sold tyres for road vehicles with the Dunlop brand from 1985 to 1999. In 1999 Sumitomo RI and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
of the US formed a joint venture. Goodyear obtained the Dunlop tyre assets in Europe and the US, and Sumitomo RI continued to sell Dunlop tyres in other countries.
The Dunlop Tyres company in South Africa is now owned by the Indian company, Apollo Tyres
Apollo Tyres
Apollo Tyres Ltd is the world's 15th biggest tyre manufacturer, with annual revenues of Rs 88.6 billion in 2010. It was founded in 1976. Its first plant was commissioned in Perambra, Kerala. In 2006 the company acquired Dunlop Tyres International of South Africa...
. In India, ownership of the Dunlop brand is split with a number of different organisations owning registrations for their own particular products.
Other sources
- Competition Commission Report, 1955: includes a history to 1955
- The history of the pneumatic tyre Eric Tompkins, Dunlop Archive Project 1981 ISBN 9780903214148
External links
- "Aero Tyre Testing at Fort Dunlop" Pathe newsreel, 1968