Dunlop, the Pioneers on the Tire Business
With extensive experience in sports car competition, with an impressive track record of successes and victories, DUNLOP transferred its innovative technologies used on the track for the tires designed for everyday driving. The DUNLOP became a major brand in its segment, enjoying an excellent reputation among lovers of automobiles and automotive sport competitions.
History
Simple ideas can change the world. And it happened in 1887 when the Scottish engineer and veterinarian John Boyd Dunlop developed and tested the first inflatable modern tire, which was nothing more than a hollow tube of rubber, which he held to the wheel with some kind of fabric and filled with an air pump. He made the first tires of this type to replace the solid rubber tricycle wheels of his child, anxious to improve the vibration of the wheels (wooden), so that he could run more comfortably. His idea was so successful that originated one of the most famous brands of tires in the world, DUNLOP TIRES. His invention came at a crucial time for the development of transport and highways. In the following year, it was officially founded the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co Ltd (currently considered the world oldest tire company ) and his first patented tire on December 7 in Britain, opening its first factory in 1890 in the city of Dublin, Ireland. Shortly after, he began producing pneumatic tires for automobiles.
In 1893 the first factory in Europe was opened in Germany. Two years later, DUNLOP tires were sold in France and Canada and produced in the United States and Australia. Then they created the factories in Asia. Near the end of the decade, in 1898, Dunlop invention had replaced the conventional tires. In 1902, the victory in Paris-Vienna car race gave DUNLOP a huge appetite to achieve success in motor racing. In the same year they opened the factory in Birmingham in England, which became known as FORT DUNLOP. In 1913, DUNLOP opened the first Japanese tire factory in the city of Kobe.
By 1920, once again the innovative spirit of the enterprise has become clear,when they develop tires for cars able to resist high speeds. At this time, the Dunlop tires has developed extremely sturdy and safe tires, able to endure speeds above 300 km / h, helping Henry Segrave set a new record for speed limit on land with the impressive 372 km / h in 1927. The first victory of the mark in Le Mans took place four years before the breaking of this record. In the following years, their involvement in motor racing has become of vital importance for the development of technologies that were transferred to the production of tires for passenger cars. Dunlop was one of those responsible for a new land speed record achieved by Sir Malcolm Campbell in 1935.
During the 50s, the brand has achieved 66 victories in Formula 1, winning eight world titles, and five more victories at the traditional 24 hour race in Le Mans (In total, 34 of 71 races of the oldest race in the world have been won with Dunlop tires, until the 80s). In the following decades, the company continued developing and producing innovative tires like in the 60s, when researchers had identified the phenomenon of hydroplaning (when running on a sheet of water, the tires lose contact with the runway). From there they developed the Dunlop radial tire S 41, which contained grooves, giving the driver more grip and full control of the vehicle on wet pavement. With the revolutionary Again, released in 1973, the driver was enabled with more control at high speed and longer distance.
In 1999, DUNLOP became central pivot of a global joint venture between the American Goodyear and Japanese Sumitomo. That is how the Dunlop brand became an excellence in its segment, present in most world markets, and being officially used by large and renowned automakers such as Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz Lexus, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen. Dunlop also produces original factory tires for major brands of bikes like Aprilia, BMW, Buell, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, MV Agusta, Suzuki and Yamaha. The company also produces about 130 different types of tires for trucks and buses.
