Dunlop Industrial Products (Pty) Ltd has roots in the rubber industry that go back to the early 1900’s.

In 1918 the Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company formed the South African Rubber Manufacturing Company Ltd (Sarmcol) to supply the market with automotive and industrial rubber products. In 1919 Sarmcol opened manufacturing facilities in Howick in the Natal Midlands initially to manufacture automotive and industrial rubber products and later, conveyor belting and rubber hose products.

In the late 1940’s Dunlop established a tyre factory in Durban and a factory in Benoni to manufacture rubber conveyor belting, rubber hose and rubber products for the automotive industry.

In the late 1960’s BTR (UK) acquired Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company, thereby acquiring control of Sarmcol, and in the early 1970’s formed BTR South Africa and acquired Rubber & Wheel based in Krugersdorp.

In the mid 1980’s BTR UK acquired Dunlop’s world wide interests and as BTR Dunlop consolidated and rationalised both its South African tyre interests and the industrial rubber operations in Howick, Benoni and Krugersdorp. BTR Dunlop’s SA interests were in turn acquired by Dunlop Africa Ltd in 1996.

In 2001 Dunlop Africa Ltd delisted from the SA stock exchange and sold its industrial products operations in Howick, Benoni and Krugersdorp to a newly formed company Dunlop Industrial Products (Pty) Ltd which was in turn sold to a consortium led by the Specialised Group of Companies.

The business and assets acquired comprised the manufacture and sale of conveyor belting, hydraulic and industrial hoses, automotive rubber products and rubber mouldings produced in three plants located in Benoni, Howick and Krugersdorp.

To provide focus and to facilitate the introduction of equity and technology partners, black empowerment, and joint venture relationships, the new owners have restructured the businesses and rationalised the manufacturing activities.