Journey to end of the road
1888 Founder John Boyd Dunlop develops the first air-cushioned tyre
1890 Dunlop opens its first bicycle tyre plant in Dublin
1900 Dunlop begins production of car tyres
1917 Fort Dunlop in Birmingham starts production
1924 The group begins to diversify into tennis balls, clothing and latex products, and expands tyre production into international markets
1932 The Dunlop Bridge is built over the Circuit De La Sarthe, home of the Le Mans 24 hour race
1970s The decline of the UK car industry hurts Dunlop as global rivals eat into its market share
1984 Dunlop’s European and US tyre business is acquired by Japan’s Sumitomo group, its former subsidiary
1999 US group Goodyear and Sumitomo form a global alliance that sees Goodyear take control of Dunlop
2006 Dunlop ends the production of car and truck tyres in the UK
2014 Dunlop announces the closure of its motorsport factory in Birmingham