Titan Boss Reacts to Negative Story

Reacting to news of performance problems with its 63-inch radial OTR tyres, Titan Tire said it will outfit equipment with expensive inflation and heat sensor equipment.

At the same time Titan chairman and CEO Morry Taylor took umbrage with news reports from Bloomberg and the Financial Post questioning the performance the of tyres on the oil sands of Canada.

Taylor said in a prepared statement that Titan would begin shipping its 63-inch radials with tyre inflation pressure and temperature sensors. “In next few months, Titan expects to ship each tyre with a sensor that will monitor air pressure and temperature so that each mine will know tyre data instantly, as will Titan,” Taylor said. “This is a service we will supply, and our cost is expected to be lower than the reported $2,700.”

The Titan chief claims the Bloomberg and Financial Posts stores were inaccurate and that the company’s giant tyres have performed “without interruption.”

“It is interesting to see just how much misinformation is flowing around,” said Taylor. “Bloomberg reporter Joe Carroll called me from Calgary to discuss 63-inch tyres that were being tested with heavy loads, running at faster speeds and longer distances. This scenario is beyond the rated conditions of any tyre this size. Our competitor’s tyres don’t hold up to these excessive conditions, either. In these tests, Titan’s tyres were getting too hot in the steel belt, which was melting the rubber, resulting in a failure. The report didn’t mention the other hundred Titan tyres that have been in use.

“The average life of a 63-inch tyre in the oil sands is around 5,000 hours, not 10,000,” said Taylor. “In fact, Mr. Carroll noted that a celebration was held for a tyre that ran 10,600 hours – that is a special occasion, not the average.

“It is noteworthy that one of the mines scraps all of its wheels after 10,000 hours of use, which generally equates to the life of two tyres. Other mines magnaflux wheels for surface cracks. Titan is the only company that X-rays its giant 63-inch steel wheels 100 per cent,” said Taylor.

“Titan has the capacity to produce over 20 super giant radial tyres a day. The current market does not require that capacity at this time. Titan’s patent pending radial design carcass has held up great, and we are reducing the heat build up in the steel belt area to extend tyre life. Titan has had tyres run over 4,000 hours in the oil sands, and the company’s two current competitors are doing the same. New tread designs will be tested as well, once the best design for heat reduction has been determined. A two-week change to each mold segment is required to begin production on new designs.” (Tire Review/Akron)