In 1888, in Belfast, Ireland, Dunlop’s founder, John Boyd Dunlop, observed his young son riding his tricycle on solid rubber tires over cobbled ground. To provide his son with a smoother ride and better handling, Dunlop took the tricycle, wrapped its wheels in thin rubber sheets, glued them together, and inflated them using a football pump. This innovation led to the development of the first air cushioning system in history, laying the foundation for the world’s first practical pneumatic tire. Dunlop immediately patented his innovation and started turning it into a commercial venture, founding what quickly became known as the Dunlop Pneumatic Tire Co. Ltd. The first Dunlop plant opened in Dublin, Ireland, in 1890. Dunlop rendered solid tires obsolete within twenty years and evolved from a pioneer to the first global multinational tire company.
