Tire brand
Goodyear
An iconic American brand — proven reliability.
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Brand profile
Goodyear is an American tire manufacturer founded in 1898 in Akron, Ohio, by Frank Seiberling. The company is named after Charles Goodyear, the inventor of rubber vulcanization. Today one of the largest manufacturers in the world, it designs tires for cars, SUVs, trucks and commercial vehicles, and operates an active plant in Napanee, Ontario.
Positioning: Positioning: All-season tires, 3PMSF winter-rated tires, high performance, and SUV and truck applications.
History
Goodyear came into being on November 21, 1898, in Akron, Ohio, when Frank Seiberling, together with his brother Charles, set up a rubber-goods factory in two plants acquired on Market Street. The company was named in tribute to Charles Goodyear (1800-1860), who in 1839 had discovered the vulcanization process that makes rubber durable and resilient. With thirteen employees, production began with bicycle and carriage tires, horseshoe pads and poker chips. The rise of the automobile quickly transformed this young company into a global brand. Goodyear also left its mark on aviation history: its first airship, the Pilgrim, took flight on June 3, 1925, from Wingfoot Lake near Akron, becoming the first helium-filled blimp dedicated to advertising. In 1923, the Goodyear-Zeppelin joint venture helped build airships for the U.S. Navy. The famous blimp remained a symbol of the brand for a century. Over the decades, Goodyear expanded its portfolio of brands. In 1999, it formed a global alliance with Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which gave it access to the Dunlop name in North America and Europe; the alliance ended in 2015, and Goodyear then sold the entire Dunlop brand to Sumitomo in 2025, keeping only certain rights to motorcycle tires. In June 2021, Goodyear closed the acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company for an enterprise value of approximately US$2.5 billion, strengthening its presence in the replacement and value segments. In North America, Goodyear operates several plants, including the Canadian facility in Napanee, Ontario. In 2024, the company and the federal and Ontario governments announced an investment of more than CA$575 million to modernize and expand this plant, with a view to producing tires for electric and off-road vehicles, with start-up expected around mid-2027.
Technologies
Goodyear develops several construction technologies that set its lineups apart. The DuraSeal system allows certain commercial and utility tires to automatically seal tread punctures. The SoundComfort technology incorporates an absorbing layer inside the tire to reduce road noise transmitted into the cabin. For winter-rated all-season tires, such as the Assurance WeatherReady, Goodyear uses a soybean-based rubber compound that stays pliable at very low temperatures, improving grip on snow and ice. Evolving Traction Grooves widen as the tread wears down, preserving water evacuation and winter traction over the life of the tire. Goodyear also designs tires specific to electric vehicles, incorporating low-rolling-resistance structures and noise management tailored to the instant torque and quietness of these vehicles.
Innovations
Innovation at Goodyear draws on a long heritage, from the bicycle tires of 1898 to the airships of the 1920s and the tires designed for NASA space missions. Motorsport serves as a development laboratory: Goodyear is a historic supplier in North American motorsport, notably as the tire manufacturer for the NASCAR series, where extreme demands of heat, load and speed drive advances in rubber compounds and casing structures. These lessons are then carried over to road products. The company also invests in sustainability, with compounds incorporating renewable materials such as soybean oil, emissions-reduction targets for its plants, and work on tires made from sustainable materials. At Napanee, the expansion aims for reduced emissions and carbon neutrality targeted for 2040, illustrating Goodyear's shift toward more responsible manufacturing and products suited to electrification.
Manufacturing
Goodyear's global headquarters is in Akron, Ohio, the historic birthplace of the company and of its airship industry at nearby Wingfoot Lake. Goodyear operates a network of plants in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. For the Quebec market, the Canadian presence is particularly relevant: the plant in Napanee, Ontario, manufactures tires and is the subject of an investment of more than CA$575 million announced in 2024, supported by the federal and Ontario governments, to increase its capacity and produce tires for electric and off-road vehicles by 2027. This North American manufacturing shortens supply chains to Quebec.
Reputation
Goodyear enjoys a solid reputation among consumers and shops, supported by a century of presence and by the iconic blimp. Its tires regularly appear in independent comparative tests: the UltraGrip Performance, in particular, performed well in European winter tests for steering and snow traction. For Quebec, two lineups are especially useful. The Assurance WeatherReady, a 3PMSF winter-rated all-season tire, targets drivers looking for four-season versatility with genuine winter capability, while the UltraGrip lineup brings together dedicated winter tires, designed for harsh conditions and compliant with Quebec's winter tire requirement.
Models and families
Related Goodyear models
These families are presented for reference. Actual availability depends on the catalogue and sizes.