Dunlop Tyres

Dunlop is a brand of tyres, currently owned and produced by the Japanese company Sumitomo Rubber Industries.[1] It was founded by pneumatic tyre pioneer John Boyd Dunlop in Belfast, Ireland, in 1888.[2]

It is one of several largely unrelated companies that use the Dunlop brand under licence, most of which historically evolved from Dunlop Rubber in some way.

The brand was formerly operated by Goodyear[3] in North America (passenger car & light truck), Europe, Australia and New Zealand.[4]

On 1 October 2015, Sumitomo Rubber Industries acquired the Dunlop motorcycle tyre brand in North America from Goodyear after dissolving its 16-year global joint venture.[5] On 7 January 2025, Goodyear announced the sale of the rest of its Dunlop brand activities (with the exception of motorcycle business in Europe) to SRI, which completed on 7 May 2025.[6][7]

In India, the brand was operated by Dunlop India Ltd. (having started its business there in 1926, owned by the Ruia Group).[8] In several other Asian countries (such as Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Russia), South Africa and Latin America (except Mexico), Dunlop Tires is operated by Sumitomo.[9][10]

In 2012, the Dunlop Tyre brand was managed by Continental AG, which manufactures Dunlop branded tyres for sale in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.[11] On 3 December 2025, Sumitomo had acquired the exclusive rights to use the Dunlop brand from Continental in these countries (excluding the aircraft and winter tyres), effective in January 2026.[12]

Overview

In 1985, the Dunlop Rubber Company was acquired by now-defunct BTR plc, and Sumitomo acquired the rights to manufacture and market Dunlop branded road tyres. Sumitomo did not acquire any Dunlop company. In 1997 Sumitomo gained agreement to use the Dunlop name in its corporate name, and changed the name of its UK subsidiary to "Dunlop Tyres Ltd."

In 1999, Sumitomo and Goodyear began a joint venture by which Sumitomo continued to manufacture all Japanese-made tyres under the Dunlop name, while Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company bought 75% of the European and North American tyre businesses of Sumitomo.[13]

The company has extensive manufacturing operations throughout the world. With the closure of the Washington plant in 2006, Goodyear Dunlop ceased mainstream car and lorry tyre production in the UK.[14]

In 2016, it was announced that Sumitomo would commence the second phase of its US$131 million investment for the upgrade and expansion of its Dunlop tyre manufacturing plant in Ladysmith, South Africa.[15]

Until May 2014, Goodyear Dunlop occupied a compact part of the Fort Dunlop site in Birmingham as its UK office. In the UK, the company operates as a sales organisation, importing tyres from manufacturing plants around the world, including Germany, Slovenia and Poland.

The Goodyear Dunlop joint venture is managed from sites in Luxembourg and Brussels, which report to Goodyear in Akron, Ohio, United States.

Fort Dunlop

Fort Dunlop was a motorsport manufacturing operation located in a corner of the original Dunlop factory in Erdington, Birmingham, established in 1891 until May 2014. This factory produced specialised vintage, motorcycle and touring car tyres, and produced about 300,000 specialised racing tyres per year. On 30 May 2014, the Birmingham factory ceased tyre production, ending Dunlop motorsport tyre production in the UK.[14]

Motorsport

Dunlop Tyres currently supply tires to the Supercars Championship and Super2 Series, the latter of which Dunlop also serves as the series title sponsor.[16][17] The company also supplies tyres to select racing teams in the Super GT series in both GT500 and GT300 classes.[18][19] Dunlop Tyres is also involved in major endurance races, including the Nürburgring 24 Hours, supplying as many as 4,000 tyres to participating racing teams.[20]

Dunlop Tyres was also a major tyre supplier in the Group C sports prototype and early Group GT1 eras, and have previously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall and in class with Dunlop-shod sports cars.[21]

The company is one of three tyre suppliers of the FIM Endurance World Championship.[22]

On 20 September 2025, Dunlop Tyres entered the sim racing scene for the first time, as they became the official tyre partner for Gran Turismo 7 and its respective esports tournament, the Gran Turismo World Series.[23][24][25]

See also

• Dunlop Bridge

Further reading

External links