Early history Dunlop Rubber

1 history

1.1 pneumatic tyre
1.2 dunlop pneumatic tyre
1.3 dunlop rubber
1.4 amalgamation of dunlop pneumatic tyre , dunlop rubber

early history

in 1888, john boyd dunlop, scottish veterinary surgeon living in ireland discovered pneumatic tyre principle. willie hume created publicity j b dunlop s discovery winning 7 out of 8 races pneumatic tyres. own rights , exploit discovery, pneumatic tyre , booth s cycle agency co. ltd incorporated in 1889 , floated harvey du cros was, amongst other things, president of irish cyclists association. invitation du cros participate made william bowden, dublin cycle agent. j b dunlop see no prosperous future in discovery, had informally made on rights bowden. j b dunlop held 20 percent stake in venture. company , manufactory first founded in stephens street in dublin.

pneumatic tyre

the late 1880s period of great demand john kemp starley s new safety bicycles. pneumatic tyre began cycle tyre production in belfast in late 1890, , expanded fill consumer demand. however, in 1890, j b dunlop s patent withdrawn. had been discovered robert william thomson had first patented pneumatic tyre in 1845. j b dunlop , harvey du cros worked through ensuing considerable difficulties. employed inventor charles kingston welch , acquired other rights , patents allowed them protect business s position extent.

in 1890s, pneumatic tyre established divisions in europe , north america sending there 4 of du cros s 6 sons. factories established overseas because foreign patents rights maintained if company engaged in active manufacture tyres sold. pneumatic tyre partnered local cycle firms such clement cycles in france , adler in germany in order limit necessary capital expenditure. american business established in usa in 1893 factory in buffalo, new york after harvey du cros junior old enough (21) sign necessary deeds.

in 1893 home manufacture relocated belfast , dublin coventry, centre of british cycle industry. dublin corporation had launched case against pneumatic tyre claiming nuisance smell of rubber , naphtha. pneumatic tyre spread developing interests in birmingham. following year major interest taken in component supplier byrne bros india rubber of lichfield road, aston birmingham. same year du cros started cycle components manufacturing in selly oak supply inner tubes.

dunlop pneumatic tyre

j b dunlop resigned in 1895, , sold of interest in pneumatic tyre. in 1896 harvey du cros persuaded board sell pneumatic tyre financier ernest terah hooley £3 million. hooley drummed support offering financial journalists cheap shares , appointing aristocrats board, , sold business again time dunlop pneumatic tyre company £5 million providing gross profit hooley s syndicate including du cros of £1.7 million.

a 1914 dunlop print advertisement garden hoses

associate , supplier, byrne bros india rubber, @ manor rubber mills, aston cross, had moved making tyre , tube components complete inner tubes , covers. in june 1896 du cros formed new company, rubber tyre manufacturing, acquire byrne bros. e j byrne contracted managing director 5 years.

dunlop rubber

from late 1890s, dunlop pneumatic tyre began acquire own rubber mills, , began process rubber, whereas had assembled tyres using components other manufacturers. in 1901 dunlop pneumatic tyre used majority holding rename rubber tyre manufacturing – dunlop rubber. arthur du cros replaced e j byrne.

from 1900, dunlop began diversify cycle tyres. company manufactured first motor car tyre in 1900. in 1906, car wheel manufacturing plant built. in 1910 dunlop developed first aeroplane tyre , golf ball.

between 1904 , 1909, french dunlop subsidiary lost total of £200,000, european rivals such michelin of france , continental of germany overtook in motor tyre market. in 1909, dunlop of france, , in 1910, dunlop of germany wholly acquired british parent in order enforce stronger quality control.

amalgamation of dunlop pneumatic tyre , dunlop rubber

in august 1912 dunlop pneumatic tyre went out of business though retaining financial commitments. passed activities dunlop rubber in exchange shares. changed name parent tyre company limited. dunlop rubber purchased of assets including goodwill , trading rights , in exchange tyre company shareholders owned three-quarters of dunlop rubber. amalgamation intended bring substantial reduction in overhead , clarify had been seen confusing relationship between 2 enterprises when shared shareholders.

arthur du cros made managing director , deputy chairman in 1912 , retained position after father s death in 1918 when l ormrod became chairman through until 1921. supply, du cros selected estates in ceylon , malaya purchase, , 1917 company owned 60,000 acres of rubber plantations. in 1916, construction began on fort dunlop site across 400 acres. 1918, dunlop fourteenth largest manufacturing company in britain, , large-scale tyre manufacturer.

arthur du cros became close financier james white, , appointed him dunlop s financial advisor in 1913. 1919, white had acquired control of company. white speculated on rubber futures market disastrous results when price of rubber collapsed. meanwhile, there quality control problems tyres. came head in august 1921 when company announced loss of £8 million on year s trading. company saved intervention of frederick szarvasy of british foreign , colonial corporation. white s board member nominees removed, , sir eric geddes appointed chairman.