In 1888 John Boyd Dunlop, a Scotsman, invented a pneumatic tyre and patented it that same year. He then set up with others a company called the Pneumatic Tyre and Booths Cycle Agency Ltd but by 1893 this name had been changed to the Pneumatic Tyre Co. Earlier in 1889 a separate company called
the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company was formed to put into production John Dunlop's patent of 1888 for pneumatic bicycle tyres. However in 1890 his patent was declared
The ageing John Dunlop. John Boyd Dunlop trade marks dating from 1902, 1904, and between 1915 to 1920
invalid due to prior patents by another Scottish inventor, Robert William Thomson, who had taken out patents in France in 1846 and the US in 1847 for a similar pneumatic tyre.
A new company was then formed in 1896 called the Dunlop Pneumatic Co Ltd which took over the interests of the other businesses with John Dunlop taking shares in the new company. John Dunlop never made a lot of money from his ideas - he actually left Dunlop to work for a competitor - but the company did well and went on to become a worldwide name.
The new business of 1896 was timely in its development and improvement of the pneumatic tyre, not just to meet the needs of the bicycle industry but also those of the new and emerging motor car industry. During this period Dunlop expanded its business operations in Europe, North America and Australia, and opened a subsidiary business in England called the Dunlop Rubber Co Ltd.
Over expansion caused financial troubles and in 1899 Dunlop sold all of its overseas operations with the exception of its English subsidiary company. The Australian company became the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company of Australasia Ltd and remained an independent business.
The image on the left, not believed to be an official trade mark, was used by the Dunlop Rubber Company in a lot of their advertising right up to 1929. The image on the right which is most associated with Fort Dunlop products is seen in advertising dating from 1930 (medallion appears in various forms).
In 1900 Dunlop began the manufacture of motor car tyres which was initially subcontracted out but by 1902 it went into production in its own right at its subsidiary company the Dunlop Rubber Co. Ltd which was located at Manor Mills, Aston, Birmingham. The business later relocated to larger production facilities in Birmingham called 'Fort Dunlop'. Apart from motor car tyres Dunlop also marketed a whole range of cycle related products such as puncture repair kits, tyres, and accessories.
The 1920's saw a rapid worldwide expansion of the company's operations but
From a Dunlop trade catalogue of 1937 showing associated company branded products
this decade also saw increased competition from foreign tyre companies so Dunlop diversified its business by moving into other rubber/latex related markets such as outdoor clothing, mattresses (Dunlopillo), tennis balls etc. They were also putting their name to a host of other products to support the growth of the 'Garage'. They sold Air Towers, Foot Pumps, Lifting Jacks, Fan Belts, Floor Mats, Cycle Pumps, Saddles, Repair Outfits and much more. And through their pocket sized range of products and scaled down home equipment Dunlop also encouraged the growth of DIY and self servicing of Cars, Motorcycles and Cycles.
After the war Dunlop had the lions share of the British Tyre market the rest being supplied by Michelin, Avon, Goodyear and Firestone. A report by the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission in 1955 decided that these 5 companies were fixing prices and things had to change. This hurt Dunlop in the pocket but it continued to expand and diversify its operations. By the 1980/90's the company, like so many others, had fallen victim to too much debt and gradually Dunlop's worldwide operations were broken up and sold off.
The strong theme running through Dunlop's advertising was their clear message that being a British company meant the best for the motorist not just in the product itself but also in its ongoing development.
