1890-1900 Avon outgrows its original premises and moves to Melksham in Wiltshire, Great Britain. Avon quickly recognised the potential of the new Dunlop pneumatic tire and starts on its own development, despite the fact that there are fewer than 50 British made cars on the road at this time. By 1901 Avon opens its first pneumatic tire production line.

1901-1914 The first Avon motorcycle tire is produced for the early motorcycles.

1914-18 There's a war on and unlike previous conflicts mechanized weapons and transportation, including motorcycles are coming to the fore. Avon assists the British war effort by producing tires for just about every type of military vehicle.

1920s - There's an inevitable post-war slump. Avon responds by exercising its powers of innovation - it's one of the first tire companies to produce the soon to be popular 'cord' car tire. Motorcycle tires become increasingly important to Avon as the bikes are a cheap form of transport

1933 - Avon is floated on the London Stock Exchange

1941 - Europe's at war again and Avon's 2500 employees work flat-out during the whole of the conflict.

1956 - Since the end of WW2 Avon's growth was rapid, so the Avon undertake a complete modernization and expansion of its tire making plant. The overhaul takes five years, and increases production by an extraordinary 50 per cent.

1957 - Avon decides to move into the thrilling world of motorcycle racing for the first time, with some degree of success - between 1958 and 1963, every solo world motorcycle champion rode on Avon motorcycle tires.

1961 - More innovation, this time in the form of a special 'cling' rubber compound for Avon motorcycle tires that greatly increases their wet weather performance. The development is rightly regarded as a major advance in motorcycle tire technology. Annual tire production at Avon's Melksham plant stands at 1.5 million units; impressive stuff given how comparatively few cars and motorcycles there were around at the start of the '60s compared with now.

1966 - Fire rips through the finished goods store and threatens the entire factory. Although the fire rages for hours, Avon's undaunted workforce is back making tires within 24 hours.

1970s - There's a rush to develop radial tire technology and Avon is at the forefront of it, another example of the spirit of innovation that's a major strand of the company's DNA. Radial tires are now almost universal. 1980's - The lure of the race circuit beckons as Avon teams up with International Race Tire Services (IRTS) and enters the competition tire market. The project works out so well that Avon opens a racing tire production facility. The facility becomes a separate division, Avon racing, set up to design develop and sell Avon motorcycle tires (with the odd car tire thrown in as well, of course!).

1990's - A new dawn for Avon as it is acquired by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Ohio, USA. The deal gives Avon access to even more high-tech design and development facilities, an extremely important time for Avon motorcycle tires.

2000 - Avon pushes forward the boundaries of radial motorcycle tire design with the Azaro range; this high performance tire successfully blends great grip with long life. Meanwhile, Avon Racing clinches a three-year deal to provide tires for the US Formula 2000 National Championship.

2002 - The technologies that created the original Azaro motorcycle tire have been refined and improved; the new Azaro grips harder and lasts longer.

2003 - Avon Racing continues to supply competition tires to more than 150 race championships around the world. Meanwhile, Avon's range of high performance road tires continues to expand its coverage of the market, and its outstanding range of motorcycle tires, particularly the exciting Azaro series, earn more and more new admirers.

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