A Great American Tire Company Finds A Home In Akron

B.F. Goodrich is an American tire company that has been around for over 100 years. In 1870 Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich opened the first rubber company. Goodrich had studied medicine at the Cleveland Medical College, now known as Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. After the civil war, Goodrich became involved in other interests and left medicine.

Moving To Ohio

B.F. Goodrich got involved in rubber when he bought stock in the Hudson River Rubber Company. This was in 1869. Because of the competition he faced in New York, Goodrich decided to move his company over to Akron, Ohio. The residents of Akron were able to raise $13,600 to help persuade Goodrich to open his plant there. Thus Akron came to be known as the Rubber Capitol of the World. It was the first rubber plant west of the Appalachian Mountains. An American tire company was born from this small plant.

When it first opened in March of 1871, the Akron Rubber Works plant had only twenty employees. There were several products which were manufactured, but their primary one was a fire hose which would not burst when it was under pressure. For the next few years the going was tough. The company filed bankruptcy twice. Then in the 1880's things started to change. The pneumatic tire was invented.

The Pneumatic Tire

The pneumatic tire was very popular because it was filled with air. Bicyclists loved it because of the smoother ride it gave. When the automobile was invented, tires became in great demand. Originally made entirely of rubber, the tires were redesigned by the B.F. Goodrich company. They gave the public what they wanted. This great American tire company made the first pneumatic tire for cars. It was an instant success.

Twenty one years after it first opened, Akron Rubber Works had four hundred employees and was selling over $1.4 million in products. By 1911, sales had grown to over $27.4 million. Unfortunately B.F. Goodrich died before he could see this success. He passed away in 1888.

Another milestone for the B.F. Goodrich company happened in 1926. One of the scientists working for Goodrich, Dr. Waldo Semon discovered a way to plasticize polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This started the great, vinyl industry. It is now a multi-billion dollar industry.

Goodrich Invents PVC

When Charles Lindbergh made his famous flight across the Atlantic, from New York to Paris, the plane he flew had Goodrich tires. Yet rubber was starting to become scarce. Our supply of natural rubber had been cut off. This did not stop Goodrich. Their team of scientists came up with the formula to create synthetic rubber. Some claim that it is because of this breakthrough in science that America won the Second World War.

Tubeless Tires

Who do you think invented the tubeless tire? Yes, it was B.F. Goodrich. Again, this American tire company revolutionized the industry. B.F Goodrich led the way in the tire industry for 118 years and now has become a leader in the aerospace industry. This is one great company which is still going strong.