Founded in 1888 by John Boyd Dunlop, after he invented the modern pneumatic inflatable tyre. Dunlop Tyres was an international United Kingdom-based company The current company dates to 1990 when Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company bought the European tyre business. The company once had many other manufacturing interests (particularly manufacturing involving rubber) but many of these have been sold off but still trade using the Dunlop name. For instance a branch of the company which made protective boots which was sold to a company in the Netherlands who still utilise the name Dunlop.