Takeover and breakup Dunlop Rubber

a classic historic racing jaguar e-type hustles on top of dunlop curve towards dunlop bridge @ circuit de la sarthe, le mans. built in 1932 advertising footbridge @ entry curve, iconic bridge moved in 1965 present location @ top of dunlop curve, , entry short straight dunlop chicane.

as result of increasing competition in tyre industry, , disastrous results of pirelli tie-up, dunlop had amassed massive debts. sir reay geddes stepped down chairman in 1978 , sir campbell fraser took over. between 1978 , 1981 dunlop spent $102 million on modernising european tyre business. british workforce cut 13,000 7,000. angus , company rubber plantations sold. july 1983, malaysian businessman ghafar baba had built 26.1 percent stake in company.

in september 1983, european tyre business sold former subsidiary, sumitomo rubber industries ltd of japan, £82 million. in 1984 remaining tyre factories in new zealand , india sold £200 million. in 1985 company acquired btr plc £100 million. btr sold tyre business management £142 million.

btr began divest of dunlop businesses 1996 in order transform conglomerate streamlined engineering company. in 1996, sold dunlop slazenger management, backed private equity group cinven £372 million, in 2004 sold business sports direct international £40 million.

in 1996, dunlop aircraft tyres ltd of birmingham sold group of investors backed 3i £10 million.

in 1998, btr sold btr aerospace group, including dunlop aviation , dunlop precision rubber, doughty hanson & co £510 million form dunlop standard. in 2004, dunlop standard sold meggitt plc £800 million. meggitt has inherited original english company, named dunlop holdings ltd, incorporated in 1896.

in 1998, btr sold share of south african subsidiary, dunlop africa ltd, divided in 2001. industrial products division sold become dunlop industrial products , dunlop rubber mouldings. tyre business, dunlop tyres international, bought apollo tyres of india in 2006. apollo tyres never comfortable with, nor committed dunlop brand , sold of company (including of dunlop tyre trademark rights in africa) sumitomo rubber industries in 2013. dunlop tyres international had owned rights various dunlop brands in number of countries outside south africa, , these rights sold sports direct in 2006.