From wooden wagon wheels to Land Cruiser tires

Every now and then, entrepreneurs in the field of transport development ask a question that may seem normal, but in fact it is a historic turning point in the life of humanity. From wooden wagon wheels to Land Cruiser tires: How have our lives changed? Does this simple circular disc play a role in bringing humanity to what it has reached today! ? Have wheels played an important role in our lives as humans? The most important and strange question is whether tires will accompany us for a long time in our earthly journey or will they be gone one day?

Before we answer these questions, which may seem simple at face value but have a parallel world and universe, let us surprise you that until this moment, countries around the world are still fighting for the honor of this invention. Everyone claims that the first circular wheel in history has appeared on their soil. The reason for this is that the circular wheel, despite its simplicity, has changed the map of the world in a literal sense. Without it, races would not have been mixed!

The most important historical turning points in the life of humanity:

One of the shocking facts that many people are unaware of is that development and modernity are human instinct. Since the creation of Adam, peace be upon him, to this day, perfection and pursuit of the summit have remained a priority for humans. The goal of all peoples, civilizations and nations was to live a life as close as possible to heaven.

With this instinct and unique mentality, many inventions and discoveries have emerged in human life, which have led to our development and modernity today. Perhaps the most important of these discoveries are the following:

1. Hunting tools and sharp tools:

No one is unaware of the difference created by hunting tools and sharp tools in human history. During the early period of his life, man was a vegetarian who ate on plants near his hideout. However, climate change and environmental change led him to adopt a new diet. He found himself isolated and weak in the face of the greatness of the animal kingdom, whose most important features are concealment and self-defense. He started to develop simple tools that help him in the process of hunting and fighting other creatures. These tools played the most important role in reaching the top of the natural food pyramid.

The beginning was with stones and sticks, followed by a hammer and a spear. Man finally came up with a modern and strange tool called “knife” in our current concept. This tool was the first spark of subsequent changes. It was the weapon of hunting, war, travel and immigration. Some consider that this simple invention played the most important role in the emergence of social class and supremacy between countries. We are not in the process of explaining this idea in this article. We will only say that this concept continues to this day. The arms race is not hidden from anyone.

2. The discovery of fire:

Fire is one of the obvious things today, but some ancient civilizations worshiped it because of their great admiration and surprise. In all civilizations, fire is an essential element of existence. It has been the companion of man since ancient times. Thanks to it, man has learned that everything in this universe has a solution and an opposite. Even the darkness that was a nightmare for him was overcome by a small flame of fire. Fire is later transformed into an important industrial and cultural tool whose light shines in most industries in the world.

3. Agriculture is the first building block of civilization:

Some philosophers associated the term civilization and urbanization with agriculture. When man knew the fact that the plants around him could interfere with their growth and spread, the idea of establishing what is called the Kingdom or the State was raised in his head. At that time, man no longer needed to migrate and seek food throughout the world. Food became his companion wherever he came. From that moment, human civilization emerged.

4. Wheels and their journey from a simple tool to a great god among the Greeks:

Indeed, wheels and tires, which are considered an axiom today, were used by some civilizations as a symbol of the gods, such as the ancient Greeks, who symbolized renewal and prosperous life with a circular wheel with two wings. This simple tool has enabled them to travel all parts of the Earth. All civilizations agree on this idea that the wheel was the first invention around the globe for a single village. However, the problem that has not been solved since then until this day is: Who is attributed to this revolutionary invention? When did the wheels appear for the first time in history?

Wheels are an ancient historical puzzle:

Some people think that all wheels are an old historical puzzle and an exaggerated hypothesis. However, the truth derived from historical studies confirms this hypothesis. Apart from the complexities of research centers, let's go back to 1960, specifically the day when the first episode of an old children's program was screened, which was very impressive at the time, the Flintstones children's program.

The paradox that this program worked on, which made it a timeless television masterpiece, is to show society in the Stone Age with a distinctive modern character. All the tools we use today were found in that program but were made of stone or wood, such as television, telephone, computers and cars as well. Apart from the comic and fantasy applied in that series, the circular stone wheel is a reality and a common link between our world today and that ancient time. Historical studies have concluded that wheels appeared on this earth more than 12000 years ago! Wheels are one of the oldest inventions known to man, like sharp tools. We will definitely learn about the stages that the wheel has gone through and the features of each stage.

Transportation and transportation between the past and the present:

For centuries, man has been able to create ways to move from one place to another. Certainly, the only innate method that was available in the beginning was to run and walk on foot, followed by simple vehicles that were pulled and pulled on the ground without wheels. [1] This invention is primarily attributed to the ancient American tribes.

In cold areas, humans used sledges. [2] At advanced stages, humans used pets such as horses and dogs to pull these simple types of tools. In other civilizations, vehicles were used that were carried on their shoulders. Pharaohs were probably the most famous civilizations that used this method and Babylonians as well, so that humans evolved more and more. Today, we find methods and methods that may affect the minds of our ancestors from their speed and development, such as aircraft in the sky, ships, amphibious vehicles in water, cars and fast trains on land. The most popular invention and the common factor of all times are wheels.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travois
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sled

At a time when the ancient American tribes used to use traction vehicles in Asia, the inhabitants of those areas invented the wheel. Some studies even show that the time difference between the presence of man on Earth as we know him and his invention of wheels is only 200 years. This period is considered very short and a scientific miracle. The most important question remains: where and when were the wheels invented? What motivated man to invent such a thing? What are the tools he used to manufacture them?

These three simple questions required researchers a full century of research and study to be able to answer them. However, their answer is not sufficient and the most important is not clear. These questions were answered as follows:

Where and when were wheels invented?

To this day, researchers have not been able to identify the starting point. This is due to the emergence of evidence that proves the invention of the wheel in several different parts of the world. Even the ancient American tribes invented the wheel while using a wheelless traction vehicle, meaning that they used two methods of transportation. In India, China and East Asia, wheels appeared at the same time as well.

The strangest fact was found when a circular stone disc dating back to the Neolithic era was found. That stone was estimated to be 12,000 years old. What made it even more strange and surprising was to find a wooden axis dating back to the same date. It was found that man invented the wheeled vehicle, but in a simple way that does not live up to calling it an Arabic name. However, we can say that the Flintstone children's program did not lie or exaggerate when it portrayed the stone man driving vehicles in that era. Circular stone tablets, or as we call them “wheels” today, existed in that era, but in another simple way, away from humor and imagination writer The Flintstones are directed by The Flintstones.

The bottom line is that until this moment we have not been able to determine when and where wheels first appeared. What makes matters more complicated is that every now and then new evidence appears proving that wheels are an ancient invention as old as man. The origin and history of this invention are still unknown to this day.

What motivated man to invent wheels?

As mentioned above, modernity, development and the pursuit of perfection are innate human behavior. Researchers believe that man invented the wheel when faced with the following situations:

1. Continuous migration and the need for people to transport their simple goods in a smooth manner without having to carry them tens and hundreds of miles.
2. Agriculture has imposed new transport methods on humans to carry crops and carry agricultural supplies.
3. When humans were able to raise creatures such as horses, dogs and other animals used for transportation, wheels imposed themselves on humans as an urgent necessity and a new civilized method that helps them move faster.

In general, there are dozens or even hundreds of hypotheses that talk about the reasons that led humans to invent wheels, but the simplest and most famous are these three hypotheses.

What are the tools used by humans to make wheels?

Some people consider that paying attention to the tools used by humans to make wheels is secondary. However, knowing how to make them and the tools they used at each stage helps us understand the nature and development of communities at each stage. It even shows us the progress and development of this industry. The beginning was with a stone wheel. Today, competition is most intense to develop tires and create new methods that are more effective than air. Certainly below, you will learn about the most important techniques achieved by humans and the future of tires as well.

The evolution of wheels and tires and the most important historical milestones

The current shape of tires today is only the result of a long journey that has gone through dozens of stages that has been going on for thousands of years. However, there are some points that have marked a historical turning point in this industry, which can be divided into the following stages:

1. Stone wheels:

This stage is almost completely mysterious. The reason for this is that there is no evidence to confirm that Paleolithic man turned stones and rocks into wheels to be used in the transportation process. The evidence was limited to a small number of archaeological evidence and observations. Therefore, the matter was not common in that era. It was an individual product made by some of the sons of that ancient generation that ended 9000 thousand years BC. This is due to the fact that the process of carving rocks and stones is not an easy process, in addition to the weight of the great rock compared to its size. Therefore, ancient man found no point in such an invention.

2. Clay wheels:

What distinguishes clay wheels from their rocky predecessor is the presence of dozens of evidence proving their use in ancient civilizations and BC. Monuments and evidence have been found in Iraq, Greece, Egypt, Europe and Africa. All of them confirm the use of these wheels by humans. However, they were not used in large and medium cargo transportation operations, but rather for transporting individuals or transporting simple objects of low weight.

3. WOODEN WHEELS:

From this moment, the revolution of this industry began. With the discovery and invention of wooden wheels, man was dedicated to transportation, travel and immigration. This phase started in 4000 years BC. Small figures and simple toys equipped with wooden wheels and wooden or metal axes dating back to 1000 BC were found, indicating that man was used to making wheels to the point where he made them into simple things such as toys and small figures.

4. Alloy wheels:

The emergence of metal wheels was a complementary phase to wooden wheels. With this revolutionary invention, the concept of industry has emerged in its current and ancient form. You can imagine that a person will invent a round metal disc that can be used in any industry. Studies confirm that metal wheels appeared 1200 years ago in China, India, Iraq, the Levant, Egypt, South and Northern Europe. However, the most important turning point in this phase is the emergence of the so-called steam train, which relied mainly on metal wheels and railways. It was the first fast and perfect means of transportation.

5. Tires:

The first time the term tires appeared was when leather bands were wrapped around metal and wooden wheels in the sixteenth century AD. Europeans were the first to use this technique. Leather straps helped reduce friction and increase the speed of vehicles with tires, in addition to absorbing the shocks received by wheels on rough roads.

In 1847, the Scotsman Robert William Thomson introduced the first air wheel, but his invention was not fully accepted and rejected by Western society. How can air withstand weights and loads! ? His frames were accepted and popular only among his friends and his narrow circle of acquaintances. Everything changed in 1888, when John Boyd Dunlop impressed the world with the invention of the pneumatic tire. However, this event was a funny and incredible paradox. Some inventions, despite their importance, were the result of pure chance.

The funny way the world learned about tires:

When we use the term tires, we are talking about a new style and a new phase that is not similar to any stage in the manufacture of wheels. The term wheel refers to a circular disc made of wood or metal and is not provided with air. Tires are the circular disc made of metal surrounded by a rubber tire that contains air, but after we learned the difference between a wheel and a tire, how did humans invent the tire?

Thomson invented and Dunlop reaped:

To this day, the scientific community asks a question: Why is Edison the most famous scientist while Thomson was the one who drew science and the world! This question did not arise in vain. The Scottish scientist Robert William Thomson invented dozens or even hundreds of products that had a significant impact on human history, but only a few of his discoveries were widespread and patented.

Perhaps his most important inventions are writing and drawing tools, such as the ballpoint pen that can be emptied and filled. This invention, which you may find simple, is a turning point in the life of humanity. Some believe that the ballpoint pen was the reason for the acceleration and succession of inventions and the reduction of the period needed for research from decades, years to months and even days.

Thomson invented everything, engines, cranes and steam devices. He was interested in plastic and flexible fibers to make these fibers a magical raw material for him. In a way, he invented the pneumatic tire, which consists of a flexible frame that contains air inside. His invention was combined with metal and wooden wheels. He patented this great discovery, but his invention was highly rejected by investors and consumers for many reasons, the most important of which are:

1. The tires were not practical and easy to tear.
2. It is difficult to accept the idea from a community that is accustomed to the previous format of frames.
3. The price and cost of these tires, which the community has not found much of.

These challenges prompted Thomson to publish and promote his invention within his narrow circle of relations, but the real paradox occurred after nearly forty years.

The moment when tires became a global commodity and the talk of the hour:

In 1888 in Northern Ireland, veterinarian John Boyd Dunlop invented a pneumatic tire. In fact, the tire invented by Dunlop was fully compatible with Thomson's invention. However, the rubber fibers used by Dunlop were more advanced than its predecessor, but where is the paradox?

When Thomson invented the tire, his invention was directed and specific to be a new form of wheel. As for Dunlop, the matter was completely different. His ten-year-old son, Johnny, suffered from a strange syndrome. Without warning, he gets severe dizziness and nausea that prevents him from moving. In other cases, he gets a headache that may last several hours and sometimes days. The doctor suggested that John's father teach him to ride a tricycle in order to activate his balance centers and thus get rid of symptoms of dizziness, nausea and headache. At that time, the inventor's name Dunlop shone.

Dunlop thought of a way to make the process of riding a bicycle on rough terrain smoother. He used rubber in his work to make animal bones. He started working on developing a rubber frame. After his success in doing so, his son Johnny was the first beneficiary of this invention. The child was even a living marketing tool, but Dr. John Fagan did not allow him to enjoy this product alone.

Dr. John participated in developing the invention, but in a different way. The fact that Dunlop was unaware of was that pneumatic tires were widespread at the time, but there were no specific standards or standards for them. They were only a local and individual invention that was widespread among people. Their use was limited to bicycles only. Vehicles and primary cars did not rely on them because they did not trust them. On the other hand, no one was able to provide a solid frame so that the two doctors could share their invention. Dunlop tires appear in public in a manner that is totally contrary to its predecessor.

A brilliant trick to promote Dunlop air tires:

The two doctors who are not interested in the world of tires continued to promote their ideal invention, but the reality they faced was no different from that faced by Thomson. Everyone thought that Dunlop tires were the same as any manual and simple tire. Dr. Fagan suggested to his partner Dunlop a brilliant plan that changed the course of tire manufacturing completely.

The two partners offered Irish cyclist Willie Hume to use their tires in a cycling race held in England. The cyclist accepted their offer after negotiations that lasted days and weeks. In 1889, the cyclist Hume stunned everyone by winning first place with a big time difference between him and the rest of the riders. In his first statement, he said: “Without Dunlop tires, I would not have won the race.” This sentence would be the greatest turning point in the history of this global industry.

The world of pneumatic tires is a unique blend between the industrial revolution and the world of investment:

In 1870, the second industrial revolution marked a historic turning point in the life of humanity. The aristocracy no longer controls the world. The concept of wealth and poverty has changed. It has become easy for everyone to build revolutions. While the rich remained rich until their death and the poor remained a slave until their death, feudalists controlled the economy, while farmers and workers had no elements of financial or professional success. Therefore, there is no way to achieve wealth or build an integrated financial economy that is not governed by feudalism. The industrial revolution will change the concepts of the world as technology has changed our lives today.

The pioneers of the industrial revolution focused on invention, creativity and innovation. The machine appeared and the so-called new industrialists emerged. The poor blacksmith, who was engaged in making the best horseshoe, became the owner of a large factory and his focus turned to more accurate and efficient industries using machines to cause economic boom in various fields.

One of the outputs of the industrial revolution is rubber, which was the basic building block in the world of pneumatic tires. After continuous work and hard work by many inventors, tires have reached an optimal shape. Investors have accepted this industry with their money. Here is a unique combination that may not be exaggerated if we describe it as going on for 200 years from now at least!

As for the reason for putting forward this revolutionary hypothesis, the changes that are constantly taking place in this world, you can imagine the extent of development that has taken place in this industry for nearly 150 years. Today, tires are no longer exclusive to bicycles. Rather, they have become a comprehensive industry starting with toy cars and small vehicles and ending with vehicles weighing tens of tons. Therefore, investing in companies that operate in this field is the guarantee of success in the long term, but what are the most important turns that this industry has gone through?

The most important turns that the pneumatic tire industry has gone through:

At the beginning of the new millennium, dozens of wonderful inventions and additions have emerged in the world of tires, but the question is: How was the beginning? Or what are the additions that made a difference in this industry in its beginning?

Tangle of tire fibers

In 1905, Michelin created a new type of fiber that helped it after 3 years of entering the world of transportation and large loads. In 1908, Michelin stated: “It is now easy for the world to produce giant cars and vehicles.” Michelin has not been content with this statement, but has participated in several investments to develop large freight cars, according to a purely economic concept. If large trucks and buses appear, this means the boom of a new line of tires, hence greater profits and leadership in a field that the other company was unable to enter.

The fibers adopted by the company were layers of fibers of different directions. The fibers were built in a cross-shaped and overlapping manner at the same time, giving them rigidity and strength that enabled them to withstand large weights.

Resistant synthetic rubber:

In 1931, DuPomt was able to develop a flexible and non-ruptured type of synthetic rubber, thus carrying greater weights. This step was a real prelude to the emergence of heavy equipment. Transport, excavation and construction companies such as “Caterpillar” mainly relied on tires made of synthetic rubber interlaced with wires and metal fibers. From this idea, we are aware of the importance and place of tires in the world of finance, business and heavy industry.

RADIAL TIRES:

Michelin has also played the most important and biggest role in this type of tire. It started in 1948. These tires developed a new and unique pattern that was unknown before. They combined durability, strength and flexibility on the roads, while withstanding air pressure and the strength and heat of friction with the ground. However, the most important advantage added by radial tires is flexibility in controlling cars and the ability to roll in a flexible and smooth manner.

It should be noted that the design of radial tires, which is based on a thick and tight belt of flexible fibers that strongly surround the other layers of the tire, was one of the most important features and additions in the world of tire manufacturing and is the first building block for subsequent improvements.

Firestone's experience:

In 1977, Firestone tried a new type of tire. It used the design and shape of radial tires, but at the same time excluded the thick and connective belt from the tires in order to give tires ease of movement and light weight, making driving easier and moving faster. However, its modification caused dozens of traffic accidents and failed miserably, causing it to withdraw nine million tires from different countries of the world and even lay off 25,000 workers. The company faced the risk of bankruptcy and was able to overcome this ordeal with great difficulty.

However, the misfortunes of some people have benefits. Many manufacturing companies were seeking to replace the connective belt with another less expensive and higher quality model or to exclude the belt completely. However, Firestone's experience and the financial disaster it faced prompted everyone to abandon this idea and consider the connective belt a basic necessity.

Saudi society and its role in the development of tires:

The standards of today's cars are completely different from the past. The standards of the past depend on engine power, the durability of the structure and the suitability of car tires for all roads. Tires were an independent industry that is no less important than the world of engines. However, the rapid development we are witnessing today has made the equation more complex and has many preferences and modifications.

These changes have transformed every part and corner of this mechanical wonder into a unique unit that needs a complete industrial facility for each part. Luxury, comfort and protection have become a necessity no less important than the rest of the standards. Hence, the tire industry has turned into a vast sea.

What is strange is that Saudi society in particular and the people of the Gulf in general have put car companies in the face of challenges that had to be solved to enter this rich and demanding market. These challenges include:

1. High temperatures affect air pressure and expansion in tires, as well as the raw materials used in the manufacture and formation of tires.
2. The wide variety of roads between asphalt and sandy roads that require a special design.
3. The interest of the Saudi and Gulf communities in four-wheel drive cars and “pickup” cars, which need high-quality tires.
4. Vast distances and therefore tire wear faster, meaning that Saudi society needs highly efficient tires that stay effective as long as possible.

Add a link to the article: “The importance of regular tire maintenance and how it affects the efficiency of your fleet

• The final point is that Saudi and Gulf society depends mainly on oil as a national income at the time. Oil production requires heavy equipment and machinery for transportation. If international companies are able to enter this market, they will ensure a significant and growing source of income.

So it was from these five points that the race between the tire companies started.

How has the tire industry succeeded in Saudi society and the Gulf:

Which tires will be sent to a community that chose a Land Cruiser to love it! ? The relationship between SUVs and Saudi and Gulf society is close. The Gulf countries rank first in the SUV market. Therefore, cars exported to the Gulf countries are characterized by unique tires that suit their different environments, the intellectual and scientific advancement that the region has witnessed, and Vision 2030 announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, may God protect him. These changes have imposed a different economic pattern and behavior on Saudi society. It was necessary to switch from a consumer market to a product market so that “Darbek” is one of the leading companies in a market that has always been monopolized by the West and the East for many years, but what is your path? Will we arrive?

Your path does not seek to compete but to improve:

Derbek chose to take on the most difficult challenge in the world of transportation and tire manufacturing. Most of its focus and attention was on large transport vehicles and trucks. Saudi society needed internal solutions, solutions created by the people of this country to overcome any challenge that came in its way. No matter how much European, Asian and American companies sought to develop their industry and meet the demands of the Saudi society, the people of Mecca still know its people.

Therefore, it was necessary to have a national manufacturer concerned with the challenges facing the tire industries and was able to experience and study them closely. Thus, it was able to develop an industrial map and a local production formula that was comparable to global production. Darbek tires were designed specifically for the Saudi and Gulf communities. Their efficiency was proven and their quality was matched by global industries. Darbek is a unique combination of the heritage and quality of the Saudi industry and international standards. The goal of Darbek has been transformed from meeting the needs of heavy transport to an active partner in the global economy. Its goal is to lead an industry that has always been unique to the West for many years, but where will we go in this global industry?

The future of tires and the role of Derbek in this future:

Today, with the beginning of the new millennium, humanity has moved towards the future at the speed of light. Developing and improving aspects of life has become an urgent need. For 12,000 years, wheels have been the companion of man in this journey. However, its basic idea has not changed since then. A fixed circular disc helps in mobility and movement. Despite all the improvements and developments that have taken place in it, the basic principle has not changed, so that humanity focuses on improvements that raise the quality of the general principle of tires.

Today, new types of vacuum tires have been created that do not have a closed air tube. However, this type of tire has not been accepted or popular yet, but it is the first step towards deaeration of tires. In fact, this progress is a revolutionary progress, but we are still in the tire orbit, which confirms that this industry will continue with us at least in 2100.

The dream of creating cars that rely on magnetic energy for transportation, like express trains, is still only an idea. Until this moment, no one has been able to take a single step towards this goal, while the value of the global tire market for various types of transport has exceeded 115 billion US dollars and has achieved annual growth of more than 3% of the total market value since 2018.

As for Darbek, it has made development and the pursuit of perfection its goal. It is always working to develop its national industry not to compete with the rest of the world's companies, but to be a partner in the future industry. Its specialization in large transport vehicles and heavy trucks helps it manufacture high-quality tires that match all the challenges facing this industry in order to be the best and best choice for the Saudi and Gulf communities.

Resources:

1. https://thetireterminal.com/tires/a-brief-history-of-the-automobile-tire/
2. https://www.cewheelsinc.com/industry-news-blog/john-dunlop-charles-goodyear-history-tires/
3. https://www.tires-easy.com/blog/tire-manufacturing/
4. https://www.treadwright.com/blogs/treadwright-blog/the-history-of-tires?srsltid=AfmBOop9gt7sDfGkCbzMNjWEakvu7bRVMTWSa2V4na_G9K2i6oisDlCm
5. https://www.burnettauto.com/Tire-Info/History-of-the-Passenger-Tire
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code
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9. https://www.unitedtire.com/about/blog/articleid/7602?article=what%27s-the-difference-between-tires-and-wheels