Michelin Launches New Agricultural Tyre

Michelin has announced the launch of its latest series of agricultural tyres. The OmniBib 70 series represents the company’s attempt to help enhance farm productivity through addressing the specific challenges facing today’s farmers. In addition to the launch of the tyre, Michelin is aiming to address the issue of tyre pressure in agricultural equipment.

Promoting the OmniBib, a tyre designed to leave behind a 16 per cent wider footprint than its closest rival, the company says that a more flexible sidewall, rounded shoulders, the special lug shape and – crucially – 12 per cent lower pressure will cause less rutting (the creation of highly compacted soil within tyre tracks), which will therefore allow more even crop distribution in addition to fuel and time savings.

The new tyre is pitched between the manufacturer’s existing products, the AgriBib 85 series – particularly aimed at smaller farms using tyres less intensively – and the MultiBib 65 series – a confirmed favourite in the UK, boasting improved performance for larger farms and contractors using the tyres extensively on the roads. The OmniBib, as the name suggests, is targeting a less specific market than its neighbouring ranges, covering the widest spread of power-suitability on tractors with 70 to 180 horsepower. It will appear initially with a range of eight popular sizes between 380/70R24 and 620/70R42; a further eight sizes will be added in early 2009. It will also make its OE debut on a range of tractors at the end of this year.