Brief company history

In 1889, John Boyd Dunlop founded the Pneumatic Tyre Company and Booth's Cycle Agency, which were to become the Dunlop Rubber Company Limited.

The company became involved in aviation in 1910, when Dunlop Rubber Company introduced a wire-spoked wheel with a beaded tyre specifically designed for the aviation market.

In 1925, Dunlop formed a separate Aviation Division to produce tyres, wheels and brakes. This division grew and developed over the next 60 years.

In 1985, Dunlop Aviation Division (which included Dunlop Aircraft Tyres) was acquired by BTR industries to form part of the BTR Aerospace Group.

Eleven years later in 1996, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres was purchased from BTR Industries to form a separate independent company. Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Limited is still based at the original Fort Dunlop site in Birmingham.

Over its 90-year history, Dunlop has developed many inventions and patents which have significantly advanced aviation technology.

In that time, Dunlop tyres have been selected as original equipment on most British built aircraft and for many international projects.

Historic aircraft such as the Meteor, Typhoon, Hunter, Stirling, Mosquito, Comet, Lightning, Victor, Vulcan and Valiant were all originally fitted with Dunlop tyres. To this day, Dunlop is proud to supply the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster with tyres.

Current and future aircraft being fitted with Dunlop aircraft tyres as original equipment include Concorde, Tornado, Harrier, Boeing 757, BAe/Avro 146, Nimrod, Fairchild-Dornier 328Jet, Embraer ERJ170/190, Fairchild-Dornier 728, Agusta-Bell 139, CASA 295 and the Fairchild-Dornier 428.

Today Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Limited produces a range of over 400 different tyre types and sizes, along with a comprehensive range of tubes. We specialise in providing qualified and approved tyres and tubes for a large selection of the world's aircraft, and provide a retreading service for worn tyres.