Cooper originated in 1914 when brothers-in-law John F. Schaefer and Claude E. Hart bought M and M Manufacturing and, a year later, The Giant Tire & Rubber Company in Akron (USA). The naming took place in 1920 when Ira J. Cooper, the director of the new company at the time, established the Cooper Corporation. The company grew steadily through mergers and acquisitions, as well as continuous revenue growth. In 1946, the company changed its name to Cooper Tire & Rubber Company. Cooper has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1960. By 1991, annual sales had already reached 1 billion dollars. In 2000, the company operated 60 factories across 13 countries. Cooper possesses extensive expertise, which expanded further through the acquisition of Avon Tyres Limited in 1997 and Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels in 2003. Additional partnerships have been added in recent years. This demonstrates that Cooper Tire delivers high-quality, high-performance products for passenger cars, sports cars, and four-wheel-drive vehicles alike.