Falken Tyre Europe GmbH (Falken) reports that its parent company, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI), announced at its Board of Directors meeting on November 27, 2025, that it will change the names of seven of its subsidiaries in Europe, North America, Australia and the Pacific region. This includes Falken, whose future name, following registration in the commercial register, is expected to be Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH in January 2026.
In January 2025, SRI acquired the trademark rights to Dunlop for passenger car tyres in Europe, North America and Oceania. This will enable the company to operate its tyre business worldwide under the Dunlop brand in the future, excluding certain regions and products. As part of its long-term corporate strategy “R.I.S.E. 2035,” which was presented in March 2025, SRI announced that it would place the Dunlop brand at the centre of its future business activities.
The planned rebranding is part of a global brand strategy that aims to strengthen the value of the Dunlop brand and establish it as the preferred choice for customers in Europe. This encompasses not only the products themselves, but interfaces such as service, customer experience and corporate image.
While Dunlop will take the leading position as a premium brand, Falken will remain an important brand in SRI’s portfolio, serving the mid-price segment. Another budget brand will be introduced at a later date.
Since December 2024, Falken Tyre Europe GmbH has been the official tyre partner of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Following a successful first year, Falken has decided to extend the partnership until November 2026.
The new World Champion will be crowned on 3 January 2026 at London’s Alexandra Palace, marking the start of the 2026 season. In terms of prize money and audience capacity, the 2025/26 World Darts Championship is breaking all records: for the first time in the history of darts, the winner’s prize will amount to £1,000,000 – part of a total prize fund of £5,000,000.
Last year, Falken showcased its presence at every PDC tournament, including several events featuring its own activation game, prize draws and exclusive meet-and-greets with well-known darts players such as Max Hopp. As part of the extended partnership, Falken will also be present at international tournaments of the PDC World Series of Darts – including events in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and many more.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with the PDC World Darts Championship,” comments Markus Bögner, Managing Director and President of Falken Tyre Europe GmbH. With its international reach and a dynamic, sports-oriented target audience, Falken is the perfect partner for the PDC. Furthermore, the attractive winner’s prize reflects the strong demand and significantly contributes to Falken’s high brand visibility.”
Adam Perfect, Head of Commercial at the PDC stated: “We are proud to partner with Falken as a global partner of the PDC and align with the worldwide reach of their brand across key darts markets. We look forward to continue working with their expert team to build a deeper connection with darts fans across multiple touchpoints of the partnership.”