When Sam Gibara-led Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. entered into an alliance with Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. in 1999, it was considered by all accounts a bold move. Not everyone, however, was optimistic that the union would work out for both parties.
The first sign of a problem occurred in 2003, when Bob Keegan-led Goodyear reduced its interest in Sumitomo from 10% to 1.5%.
But neither company commented on the success, or failure, of the alliance. Even now, both companies say it certainly had its good moments.
One of them, however, apparently wasn't the success of the Dunlop brand in the U.S. Modern Tire Dealer Editor Bob Ulrich dissects one part of the dissolution in his latest blog, "Dunlop doesn't perform up to Sumitomo's expectations."
What are your thoughts on the success of the Dunlop brand in the U.S.? Read the blog, then let us know what you think by leaving a comment!
