Sumitomo Rubber Industries is acquiring exclusive rights to use the Dunlop trademark for tires and accessories in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei from Continental Tyre Malaysia, the company announced Wednesday.
The deal, estimated at just under ¥1 billion ($6.4 million), will allow Sumitomo to begin selling Dunlop-branded tires in the three Southeast Asian markets starting January 2026. The agreement covers tires, tubes and flaps but excludes aircraft and winter tires.
The acquisition represents another piece in Sumitomo’s effort to consolidate the fragmented Dunlop brand under its control. Continental has operated the Dunlop brand in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei since 2012.
Earlier this year, Sumitomo acquired Dunlop trademark rights for four-wheel tires across Europe, North America and Oceania, a deal valued at $526 million. Under its “R.I.S.E. 2035” long-term strategy announced in March, the company declared its intention to position Dunlop at the center of its global operations.
The company has instructed subsidiaries across the U.S., Europe, Australia, Latin America, the Middle East and Taiwan to adopt new Dunlop trade names beginning in January.
While the Southeast Asia deal is relatively modest in financial terms, it eliminates one of the remaining geographic gaps in Sumitomo’s Dunlop portfolio, leaving India as the primary market where the brand remains outside its control.
