Behind Goodyear: Who Runs the American Tyre Giant?

Goodyear Tyres is a high-profile premium tyre brand that manufactures a wide range of tyres for different vehicles and applications – including everyday driver use, military use, aviation use and more. Owing its brand name to the original inventor of vulcanised rubber, Charles Goodyear, the brand has been active since 1898 and is now recognised as being the third-largest tyre producer in the world.

But while drivers will never struggle to find information about Goodyear’s extensive tyre collection and its popularity across the market, one area that isn’t as widely understood is Goodyear’s ownership.

Join us as we take a look at the history of this major tyre brand and explore its ownership today.

History of Goodyear

Goodyear is an all-American brand, founded in 1898 in Ohio. Over the years, its focus has changed – originally producing bicycle tyres and tyres for carriages as well as other rubber products, ahead of the introduction of automotive vehicles and cars.

In 1901, Goodyear created racing tyres for Henry Ford’s automotive collection, and in 1903 Goodyear received a patent for the world’s first tubeless automobile tyre. The 1900s brought about further expansion through the acquisition of manufacturing facilities and testing sites, as well as the expansion of Goodyear’s underlying product offering and tyre collection.

Goodyear has also spent the past few decades acquiring other smaller tyre brands, to prop up its own collection and build its dominance over the market. Its subsidiary brands include Cooper Tires, Raben Tyres, The Kelly Springfield Tyre Company, Douglas Tyres, Regetta Tyres, and more – enabling Goodyear to remain active across a multitude of different market sectors including commercial, passenger, agricultural, military and aviation tyre fitments.

Who Owns Goodyear Today?

Goodyear is famously the only one of the world’s five top tyre manufacturers that remained independent into the 21st century – though it is now a company that is traded publicly and does not fall under either private or family ownership. It exists formally on the market as the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

As a publicly trading company, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is owned by a number of different entities – including individual shareholders, private equity firms and institutional investors.

This means that Goodyear’s overall ownership is spread widely across a large pool of investors, which increases its access to capital funding and lowers the risk for investors. It also means that the company retains a high level of transparency owing to the need to communicate with a broad pool of stakeholders, and that access to leading research and development is unrivalled.

But what does all this mean for the quality of Goodyear’s tyre collection – and are these tyres that are worth buying for your own vehicle?

Are Goodyear Tyres Worth Buying?

A premium tyre brand that uses advanced technology and testing, Goodyear is reputable for its durability, its safety on the road, and the long-term investment potential of tyres that withstand the test of both time and ever-changing terrain.

Just some of Goodyear’s leading technologies include ActiveGrip and TredLife, which are both designed to balance the performance and responsiveness of tyres with their traction and stability in different driving conditions.

It’s also worth noting that while Goodyear is a premium brand, its prices are not as high as those linked to brands like Michelin – meaning that Goodyear bridges its quality with value for money. All things considered, these are popular tyres that are well worth considering if you value reliable quality.

You can browse the full Goodyear range on Tyres.co.uk, or check out our other blogs for help comparing Goodyear with a selection of other leading brands.