Founded in 1912 in Oakland, Calif., by engineer Marion F. Oliver, Oliver Rubber is popping the cork on its 100th anniversary this week.
Now based in Greenville, S.C., and owned by Michelin North America, Oliver was among the first to precure tread rubber, organic accelerators, synthetic rubber and carbon black. The company’s significant contributions to the retreading industry helped it grow and mature as the business shifted from a primarily corner-store consumer tire operation to a major force in medium truck tires.
“Oliver Rubber’s original goal was to provide its customers with quality tread rubber and value,” said Vic Koelsch, COO of Michelin’s truck tire unit. “Now, 100 year later, Oliver continues to execute the strategy that has made it successful from day one and we are proud that the company is part of the Michelin family.”
That century of service has seen Oliver grow through acquisition, with the purchases of Dixie-Cap Rubber in 1974, Harrelson Rubber in 1982, Hercules Tire & Rubber Co.’s retread division in 2011 and the retread division of Teknor Apex in 2002.
The company also saw itself bought and sold several times, most recently in 2007 when Michelin acquired the company from Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., which, in turn, had bought Oliver as part of its acquisition of Standard Products Co. in 1999.
Highlights of the first 100 years of Oliver Rubber include:
• 1912: Oliver Rubber is founded by Marion F. Oliver in Oakland, Calif.
• 1916: Oliver was perhaps the first to retread tires with precure rubber. It was one of the first companies to work with the new organic accelerators and use carbon black as a reinforcing pigment (rather than zinc oxide)
• 1930s: Oliver technical engineers worked with government scientists and industry colleagues on two important developments: 1) fast cure bonding gum and 2) synthetic rubber (known as styrene butadiene rubber)
• 1940s: During WWII, Oliver shifted production from tread rubber to other molded and extruded products to support the war effort; Oliver becomes the seventh largest consumer of synthetic rubber in the U.S.
• 1955: Oliver acquired a New Jersey-based rubber manufacturer around the same time new truck tire technology introduced tubeless tires
• 1960s: The introduction of the radial truck tire in the 1960s reignited the growth of truck tire retreading and that of precure retreading
• 1970s: Oliver researchers secure patents on an alternative precure system
• 1972: Oliver introduces its Tuff-Cure precure retreading
• 1974: Oliver acquired Dixie-Cap Rubber Co. of Athens, Ga.
• 1977: Oliver Rubber is sold by the Oliver family to Standard Products Co., Cleveland
• 1982: Oliver acquired the Harrelson Rubber Co., Ashboro, N.C.
• 1999: Standard Products Co. is purchased by Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., moving locations to Findlay
• 2001: Oliver acquires the retread division of Hercules Tire & Rubber Co.
• 2002: Oliver acquires the retread division of Teknor Apex
• 2007: Oliver is acquired by Michelin North America, but retains its own brand identity
• 2012: Oliver celebrates its 100th anniversary
