Agricultural
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has added two new sizes to its TM100 tyre range designed for row-crop applications – the 380/90R50 151A8 (151B) and 380/90R54 158A8 (158B). As a result the Trelleborg TM100 range is now available in 11 sizes from 32 to 54 inches.
Nordisk Dæk Import A/S (NDI) has appointed New Zealand’s TRS Tyre and Wheel Ltd as its AP+ Dual Wheels distributor in the region. The decision took effect in May 2012. According to NDI, the company’s AP+ Dual Wheels are a “resounding success” in many other countries worldwide as well as well as the home Danish market.
Two new sizes have joined Michelin’s CerexBib agricultural tyre range, and the French manufacturer says these additions will address the “emerging needs of entrepreneurs, farmers and grain producers.” The latest CerexBib fitments are IF 800/70 R 38 CFO and IF 900/60 R 38 CFO, and Michelin says these new large-diameter tyres give farmers the option to operate without investing in costly four-wheel-drive or caterpillar tread equipment. The two new sizes have already been approved by John Deere, Case, New Holland, Claas and Laverda and fitted on their harvesters for the new season.
Under advisement from local Michelin Exelagri dealer North Devon Tyres, a Somerset-based farming contractor has become one of the first UK customers to fit Michelin’s new BibSteel All-Terrain tyres on one of its skid steer loaders. Tone Valley Services, based in Taunton, owns five skid steer loaders which it uses on local farms. The machines, which are used predominantly to scrape and clean out chicken sheds, have been fitted with Michelin Stabil’X tyres for the last three years.
A little-known claim to fame for Charles City, Iowa is that the word “tractor” was first coined there, in 1901. It is therefore fitting that Mitas chose to establish its radial agricultural tyre factory in that particular US town. On 26 April the plant officially opened, with Iowa governor Terry Branstad, Charles City mayor James Erb and Mitas representatives Tomas Nemec and Oldrich Slemr cutting the ribbon to start serial production of agricultural tyres. Upon celebrating the factory’s inauguration, Mitas also announced it would accelerate its US$52 million investment to achieve full plant production capacity of 13,500 tonnes of tyres a year by 2013, three years earlier than originally anticipated.
Accredited Michelin Exelagri dealers in the UK and Ireland will now be able to secure prestigious Michelin Certified Centre (MCC) status, as the manufacturer launches a new dealer programme for agricultural tyres. Michelin is introducing the new certification scheme across Europe to recognise exceptionally high standards of customer service and expertise; to gain MCC recognition dealers must pass a 48-point independent quality audit that examines every aspect of their business, including workshop cleanliness, the standard of equipment, staff training and customer advice quality. The scheme also includes car and truck tyre dealers and will include earthmover tyre specialists towards the end of 2012.
There are probably not too many experts on Greek mythology working in the tyre industry, but most people in the business are nevertheless familiar with the name Aeolus. This particular personage was revered by the ancient Greeks as ruler of the winds; more recently, the name has been adopted by a tyre maker whose profile in Europe is growing. First established in the mid-1960s, Chinese manufacturer Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd. is today an important company within the government-owned conglomerate ChemChina (China National Chemical Corporation). In recent months the company has also merged with another tyre maker from within the ChemChina portfolio, Yellow Sea Rubber.
TC Debica has reduced its production output after Goodyear, who owns 66.05 per cent equity in the Polish tyre maker, reduced its orders with the company. In a statement, Debica said that in March 2012 it will produce approximately ten per cent less passenger car and truck tyres and 4.5 per cent fewer agricultural tyres than planned. In relation to the company’s annual product plan, this equals a one per cent reduction in passenger car and truck tyre output and a half per cent decline for agricultural tyres.
Forget Tesco’s apparently mistaken offer of £50 iPads, Farmers hoping for an added incentive to upgrade their agricultural tyres are being offered the chance to win a free iPad 2 by Michelin. The first 50 customers to purchase four Ultraflex technology tyres on the replacement market in March and April 2012 will receive a free iPad 2, according to the company.
On 1 March Mitas appointed Jean-Paul Spijker market director for the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (Benelux). Operating out of Uden, Spijker has the responsibility of increasing Mitas’ market share and improving customer service in the region.
“I can open a lot of doors,” said Spijker, who has an extensive sales background from Toyo Tyres, Van den Ban Autobanden, Solideal and Alliance Tire Europe. Spijker is a Kiwanis associate and is fluent in Dutch, English and German.
The US House of Representatives has joined the Senate in passing new legislation that would allow the government to impose higher tariffs on goods from state-controlled economies that subsidise exports to the US, reports Tire Review. The journal says the legislation targets the tyre industry in particular, and was drafted and presented in reaction to the December 2011 federal appeals court ruling that the Commerce Department did not have the power to levy so-called punitive countervailing duties, effectively tossing out a series of duties – some as high as 210 per cent – it placed on China-produced OTR and agricultural tyres imported into the US.
Indian agricultural, off-road, speciality tyre and pre-cured tread manufacturer, Malhotra Rubbers Ltd has announced plans to launch a radial agricultural tyre product range this year.
“2012 shall be an exciting year from us as our whole team is gearing up to launch of our radial agricultural tyres for the European and US markets”, said company director, Monit Malhotra. According to Malhotra these will be marketed through their exclusive customers In Europe and USA.
Firestone has launched a new agricultural tyre in its Performer range for medium-sized tractors. Firestone has announced the details of the Performer 65 at the 37th International Fair of Agricultural Machinery in Zaragoza, Spain. Firestone is exhibiting its range of agricultural tyres between 14 and 18 February.
Michelin announced its full financial year report for 2011 today, its board claiming a vindication of its strategy in the process. The company produced “extraordinary results” according to chief financial officer Marc Henry, who presented the results in a conference call with managing partners, Michel Rollier and Jean-Dominique Senard. Alongside increased sales volume (up 6.7 per cent) and a 39 per cent increase in net income, the manufacturer’s management set its sights on a 2.5 billion euro profit goal by 2015. Michelin said it would capitalise on its competitive strength in speciality tyres, including “world leadership” of the earthmover segment and European leader in Agricultural tyres, with a new 40,000-tonne EMOTR plant in the near future, though a location has yet to be decided. Rollier also announced details of the completion of Senard’s succession, announced last year and due to be completed at the Annual Meeting on 11 May.
In January Claas awarded tyre maker Mitas with the Claas Supplier of the Year Award 2011 for Innovation for Mitas’ CHO tyre. “Mitas won the award from among 900 serial part suppliers,” said Jens Steinhardt, Mitas’ key account manager. Bosch Rexroth and Raba were short-listed for the innovation award. Mitas developed the CHO tyre in cooperation with Claas.
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