Goodyear sold the rights to the Dunlop brand

Sumitomo Rubber Industries has announced that it has acquired the rights to the Dunlop brand in the tire segment in Europe, North America, and Oceania from Goodyear. The plans for the transfer of rights to the famous tire brand were announced in January 2025, and the deal was closed on May 7.

According to Sumitomo, the purchase of the brand rights, including expenses for customer support in Europe during the transition period, amounted to $631 million. In addition, $104 million was paid for tires already manufactured, and the company notes that in the future, stocks will be inspected and price adjustments will be made if necessary.

Regarding the impact of the acquisition on Sumitomo's financial results in 2025, the company stated that they "are carefully examining the potential impact of the deal, and if any related information needs to be disclosed in the future, it will be made public immediately".

In January, it was reported that Sumitomo would gain the right to use the Dunlop brand in the automotive tire market worldwide, except in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, and in the motorcycle tire segment, except in Europe, India, and Oceania.

Sumitomo noted that they would restore the Dunlop brand, which was transferred to the medium segment by Goodyear in the European market, to its premium brand status. In recent years, the Japanese company has invested in the development of Falken as its main brand in Europe and North America, and now, as expected, Dunlop will take its place. At the same time, Sumitomo will continue to develop the Falken line to "increase revenue in all regions of presence and increase the share of premium products in sales through a two-brand strategy".