Dunlop Sport

Dunlop Sport is a British sporting goods company that specialises in tennis and golf equipment. Dunlop have manufactured sporting equipment since 1910.

In most parts of the world, Dunlop Sports is owned by Sports Direct International. The brand is owned by SRI Sports in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. DNA (Housemarks) Limited, a company jointly owned by Sports Direct and SRI Sports, is the owner of the Dunlop brand in the United States, and Spartan Sports have the rights to the brand in Australia and New Zealand.

History

Dunlop was established as a company manufacturing goods from rubber in 1889. The company entered the sporting goods market in 1910, when it began to manufacture rubber golf balls at its base in Birmingham. The company introduced the Maxfli golf ball in 1922.

Dunlop extended into tennis ball manufacture in 1924. In 1925, F A Davis was acquired, which had tennis racket manufacturing expertise. Dunlop opened acquisition discussions with Slazenger in 1927, but without success. In 1928 the sports division became an independent subsidiary named Dunlop Sports. Headquarters were relocated from Birmingham to Waltham Abbey in Essex.

Dunlop Sport (Australia)

Dunlop Sport is a division of Pacific Brands of Australia. The company is not connected to Sports Direct, which owns rights to the Dunlop brand outside Australia and New Zealand.

Dunlop Australia first manufactured sandshoes in 1924. In 1939 the company introduced the Dunlop Volley shoe, which is still manufactured.

Dunlop Australia acquired many other shoe businesses, including some in the US. As a result, the company introduced the Dunlop KT-26 running shoe, which originated in the US and is now sold mainly in Australia.

Dunlop Sport also produces tennis racquets and balls, squash equipment and golf clubs and balls.

Dunlop Sport was owned by Pacific Dunlop (which Dunlop Australia became) until 2001, when Pacific Brands acquired it.

See also

References