timeline

This timeline highlights the first 100 years of Oliver Rubber:

• 1912: Oliver Rubber is founded by Marion F. Oliver in Oakland, California
• 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 work 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 7th largest sonsumer 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 Company of Athens, Ga.
• 1977: Oliver Rubber is sold by the Oliver family to Standard Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio
• 1982: Oliver acquired the Harrelson Rubber Company, Ashboro, N.C.
• 1999: Standard Products Company is purchased by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, moving locations to Findlay, Ohio
• 2001: Oliver acquired the retread division of Hercules Tire
• 2002: Oliver acquired the retread division of Teknor Apex
• 2007: Oliver is acquired by Michelin North America, Inc., but retains its own brand identity
• 2012: Oliver will celebrate its first 100 years as an innovative and leading supplier of retreading systems