The first civilisations
The use of rubber goes back thousands of years. The Aztecs and Maya used it in rituals and daily life; history's first rubber ball games were played in this era.
The discovery of vulcanisation
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries rubber gained commercial importance in Europe and America. Charles Goodyear's discovery of vulcanisation in 1839 radically improved rubber's durability — a breakthrough that opened the way for tyre production and the automobile industry.
The 20th century: a global industry
The 20th century was rubber's era of globalisation. Natural rubber production grew rapidly in Southeast Asia while synthetic rubber gathered pace; supply disruptions during World War II made synthetic production strategic.
Today
Today rubber reaches from tyres and footwear to medical devices and countless industrial applications, and its uses keep expanding with technology. The industry is also turning toward sustainability: eco-friendly production and recycled rubber use grow every year.
Looking back at this journey, rubber's importance to humanity is clear: a material that keeps evolving and holds an irreplaceable place in the modern world. Makelport is proud to be one of the manufacturers shaping this time-honoured material for today's needs.