In 1898, Frank Seiberling established the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio.The company was named after Charles Goodyear, who is also responsible for the developing of vulcanized rubber. Seiberling started the first factory with $3,500 dollars which he borrowed from a brother-in-law. Goodyear originally had only thirteen employees and then eventually they became the leaders in the rubber industry by producing not only automobile tires but many other items like bicycle tires, pneumatic carriage, horseshoes, and hoses. Around 23 years later,in 1926 to be exact, Goodyear was the largest rubber company not just in the country but in the world.
Seiberling designed the “winged foot” logo, the same logo that the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company still uses in these days.
In 1903, Goodyear developed the first tubeless tire and by 1909, the firm enter the aviation industry, making the first airplane tire. Before this, bicycle tires where used on planes. Three years after, Goodyear made it’s first blimp. By 1919, they went on and made the first bulletproof gas tank for planes. Goodyear continued being the industry’s leader in creating and renovating new products all the way through the twentieth century.
It’s clear why Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tyre companies, with a presence on six of the seven continents and crazy high annual sales of about $15 billion a year. In addition to Goodyear brand tyres, they manufacture other brand names like Dunlop, Sava, Fulda, Lee, Kelly, and Debica.
Now a days Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s net worth is $4.603 billion dollars and employs about 66,000 people worldwide, with 48 facilities in 21 countries around the world, Goodyear still remains one of the largest tire manufacturers up until now.