Dunlop opened its first tyre plant in Dublin, 1889. Since then, they have grown to become one of the world's biggest and most respected tyre brands. With their UK head office in Birmingham, their operations are now worldwide.

Many of the world's leading vehicle manufacturers - including Audi, BMW, Honda, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Suzuki, Toyota, - trust Dunlop and fit their tyres as standard. Their tyre designers work closely with manufacturers. They also involve our European, American and Japanese sister companies to provide the latest research and development, testing and manufacturing facilities.

History

In 1888, while watching his son ride a tricycle, John Boyd Dunlop noticed his discomfort whenever he rode over cobbled ground. He knew the tricycle's solid rubber tyres were to blame. The solution? He wrapped the wheels in thin rubber sheets, glued them together, inflated them with a football pump for a cushioning effect - and created the first commercially viable pneumatic tyre.

Dunlop patented the idea, giving his fledgling Dunlop tyre company a head start over automotive competitors who had already recognised the tyre's many advantages. Ten years later, Dunlop's invention had almost entirely replaced solid tyres.

In 1889, Dunlop opened its first tyre plant in Dublin and its first factory in Birmingham just two years later. From there, Dunlop's growth from pioneer to successful multinational corporation was swift.

They established operations in Germany, France, Canada, Australia, USA, and production facilities throughout the globe, for example, Japan's first ever tyre plant at Kobe. And with the Dunlop Rubber Company, the company proved itself a pioneer in technology and business.

By the 1920s, they had developed tyres for cars capable of speeds over 200 mph - heralding our longstanding relationship with motorsport.