Sumitomo Rubber has established a dedicated UK company to coordinate Dunlop’s global brand communications, placing a new part of its international brand operation in Dunlop’s historic home as it works to build the marque into a global premium brand.
DUNLOP Branding Works Limited was established in July 2026 and is scheduled to begin operations in October. Based near London, the wholly owned Sumitomo Rubber Industries subsidiary will act as a global communications hub for Dunlop, working with the manufacturer’s headquarters in Japan and regional group companies.
Its remit includes developing global communications, creating branding content and operating global branding initiatives. Sumitomo said the work will cover areas including advertising, digital content and brand experiences, with the aim of delivering more consistent Dunlop communications internationally. The company has capital of £260,000 and will be led by CEO and COO Masatoshi Yakushiji.
Sumitomo has explicitly linked the choice of the UK to Dunlop’s origins there. The announcement positions the new company as a branding and communications operation rather than a new global headquarters for the wider Dunlop tyre business. It will continue to work alongside Sumitomo’s Japanese headquarters and regional companies. Sumitomo Rubber’s announcement
The move is the latest concrete step in a process that accelerated when Sumitomo agreed in January 2025 to acquire Dunlop trademark and related rights for four-wheel tyres in Europe, North America and Oceania from Goodyear. The transaction closed on 7 May 2025, materially expanding Sumitomo’s ability to operate the Dunlop tyre brand internationally.
Sumitomo subsequently placed Dunlop at the centre of its longer-term brand strategy, stating that it wanted to establish the marque as a premium tyre brand globally. In December 2025, it also announced that its communications would be unified under the Dunlop name as part of the wider brand programme.
TNM reported the completion of the Goodyear transaction as that new phase began. TNM: Goodyear Completes $735M Sale of Dunlop Brand Rights to Sumitomo
The organisational changes have since become visible across Sumitomo’s regional operations. Sumitomo Rubber North America became DUNLOP Tires North America at the start of 2026, while Falken Tyre Europe officially became DUNLOP Tyre Europe in February. Other regional subsidiaries were also included in the group’s move towards greater use of the Dunlop name.
TNM has also tracked that transition through the European product portfolio and UK aftermarket. The first Sumitomo-engineered Dunlop summer tyre for Europe arrived this year, while Best Autocentres’ Totton branch became the first British retailer to adopt Dunlop’s new European dealer identity in August. TNM: First SRI-Engineered Dunlop Summer Tyre Targets EV and Performance Fitments TNM: Dunlop Begins UK Dealer Rebuild With First New-Look Site
DUNLOP Branding Works adds dedicated communications infrastructure to that sequence. The trademark acquisition gave Sumitomo greater control of the brand across major markets; subsequent changes have put Dunlop more prominently into the group’s corporate, product and regional identity; the UK company now gives its global branding programme a dedicated operating hub.
That does not indicate a transfer of wider strategic or operational control from Japan to Britain. What it does provide is further evidence of Sumitomo putting resources and organisational structure behind the global premium positioning it has set out for Dunlop.
Tags: Dunlop, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, DUNLOP Branding Works, tyre branding, global tyre industry, UK tyre industry, premium tyre brand, Dunlop strategy, DUNLOP Tyre Europe, DUNLOP Tires North America
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