Oliver Tire & Rubber (Now Oliver Lofts)
The site of what is now the Oliver Lofts on 65th street was once the Oliver Tire & Rubber Company.
Oliver Tire was founded in Oakland in 1912 by Marion F. Oliver. Oliver was among the founders of American Rubber in 1907 who operated a factory in Emeryville at the corner of Watts & Park Avenue. American Rubber manufactured rubber conveyor belts and fire hoses employing a workforce of 150 men.
The original location for Oliver Tire was at 2135 Broadway in Oakland. The facility was engaged in the repairing, recapping, and retreading of automotive tires. Oliver is credited with inventing and developing the modern vulcanization process that involved the hardening of natural rubber.
By 1917, they were operating at 2203 Broadway along Oakland’s Auto Row. This facility was demolished by a blaze that injured two and caused damage to the entire block.
In 1924, as the business expanded, they built a new plant at 4343 San Pablo Avenue in Emeryville.
Marion F. Oliver died in June 1927 at the age 60. Marion’s son Griffith Oliver took the reins of the company.
In the 1930s, the company’s technical engineers and government scientists worked on the development of synthetic rubber. This proved to be a critical development particularly during wartime efforts that saw shortages of natural rubber.
During World War II, Axis forces in the east gained control of the bulk of the world’s rubber production becoming a critical problem for the Allies. Oliver chemists working with the U.S. Government and industry colleagues develop a synthetic rubber, called Styrene Butyl Rubber (SBR). This innovation was used for valve parts, diaphragms, and gromets, replacing natural rubber and other vital materials.
These synthetic counterparts were considered superior to withstanding the effects of heat and oil in most instances.
In 1944, They began construction of their new factory at 65th & Vallejo to help boost production. The location of the new plant was advantageous as it was serviced by the rail spur that would become the greenway.
In 1945, A destructive fire damaged their 45th street plant causing $100,000 in damages threatening the nearby Oaks Ball Park. The fire was later determined to have been ignited by the explosion of a 30-gallon barrel of gasoline.
Their 65th street plant expanded to 29,000 square feet along 1256 65th Street.
Griffith Oliver remained president of the company for 50 years until his retirement in 1977 after which they were acquired by Standard Products of Cleveland.
Oliver died in 1990 at the age of 84.
Oliver acquired and was acquired many times over its history. By 1990 more than 20 patents had been awarded to Oliver Tire for its tread designs and retreading equipment.
In 1994, Oliver moved their headquarters to Athens, Georgia where they also had offices for Dixie-Cap Rubber Company that they had previously acquired.
This ended their history as a Bay Area Company. They were acquired by Michelin in 2007.
The land at 65th & Vallejo St. was remediated and in 2002, NHP Architects built a multifamily housing complex consisting of 50 condominiums with a portion of the existing factory incorporated into the structure.
It was named Oliver Lofts to recognize its history.
Oliver Tire celebrated their 100th year in business in 2012.
