Agricultural
The 390 – an all-steel radial flotation tyre released by Alliance Tire Group in the US – has become the first flotation radial to receive Department of Transport certification for highway use at 50mph. According to Michel Aguon, Alliance Tire Americas’ product manager, the 390 is also the industry’s first all-steel flotation radial plus the first that can carry nearly 11,000 pounds (5,000kg) of load at 50mph.
Trelleborg Wheel Systems’ TM900 High Power super single tyre is designed to fit the most advanced high power tractors, and now an extra large size (900/60R42) is on the market for the New Holland T9 from 350 to 500hp and the Case Steiger from 350 up to 450hp both in Europe and North America. At higher horsepower, tractors require dual tyres, which are typically recommended for field application only; Trelleborg says its super single 900/60R42 TM900 High Power has been engineered to combine outstanding performances both in the field and on the road.
Pirelli has agreed to take over the assets of Sibur Russian Tyres after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Russian Technologies and oil major Sibur Holding in Moscow on Friday 26 November. The deal, which is likely to position Pirelli as major player in the Russian market, comes after domestic market leader Niznekamskshina, (owned by another oil major, Tatneft) confirmed it had been in merger talks with Sibur in August. However, the latest MOU even goes as far as leaving the door open for a partnership that may offer Pirelli “a further opportunity for development and consolidation through the possible acquisition of or merger with Nizhnekamskshina.”
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has announced a price increase on agricultural and forestry tyres and wheels effective 1 January, 2011. The increases will be in the range six to 10 per cent in Europe and North America. The price hike includes all tyres and wheels for agricultural, forestry and light industrial application and is the result of escalating raw material costs, according to the company.
At this year’s Eima international agricultural machinery exhibition in Bologna, Italy, CGS Tyres is displaying a number of its products, such as the Agroforest, a product the manufacturer says preserves the benefits of forestry and field tyres as it is 15 per cent more durable and puncture-resistant than a standard tyre. Also being presented are tyres fitted to the latest agricultural vehicles, such as the prototype Deutz-Fahr eight-wheel 600hp Agro XXL tractor mounted with CGS manufactured Continental brand super volume tyres.
On 9 and 10 October the British National Ploughing Championships took place at Grange de Lings near Lincoln. The winners of both the Reversible Final and the Conventional Final were using Optitrac tyres, manufactured by Goodyear, the event’s title sponsor. The Reversible Final saw Colin Bowen from Clun, Craven Arms in Shropshire win the plough-off with 19 points, retaining his title. Former World Ploughing Champion, John Hill from Hoylandswaine in Sheffield took the top spot in the Conventional Final plough-off with 21 points. Both ploughmen will represent England in the 2011 World Ploughing Contest to be held in Sweden.
General agricultural contractor ACS has reported improved productivity as a result of replacing standard 540/65R28 and 650/65R38 tyres with 600/60 R28 and 710/60 R38 XeoBib tyres, which contain Michelin’s Ultraflex technology. The tyre reduces tractor downtime imposed by changing pressures for varied workloads and on and off-road conditions. Since tractor tyres are predominantly intended for use off-road they are designed to generate low ground pressure to reduce soil compaction. Their use on road requires higher tyre pressures; a factor that becomes more critical as modern farming requires higher road speeds and increased distances travelled.
Following extensive development testing at its world headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire, machinery manufacturer JCB has chosen Michelin’s Power CL as an original equipment fitment on its latest 2CX, 3CX and 4CX backhoe loaders. The selection of the Power CL is in addition to the Michelin XMCL which is already the OE radial option.
An October global launch is planned for the latest size in Michelin’s MegaXBib range. The new 800/70R32 tyre, intended for large and heavy harvesting machines, comes with a 181 A8/B load rating. Michelin states this load rating is the highest of any tyre produced using conventional technology and thus offers a higher rating than any currently available tyre with the exception of Michelin’s own CerexBib, which is produced using the company’s ‘Ultraflex’ technology. This increased tyre load capacity has become a key requisite in the development of new, higher-performance harvesters, comments Michelin.
The 70 series is the second largest segment in the European agricultural radial tyre market and demand has grown steadily over the last decade. Firestone Europe has catered to this increasing demand with a new addition to its Performer line-up, the Performer 70 radial for medium to high-horsepower tractors in general farming applications. Compared to the R6000 and R8000 tyres it replaces, Firestone says the Performer 70 provides vehicles with more traction, longer tread life and a higher road-speed capability. The launch follows Firestone’s introduction of the standard series Performer 85 in 2009.
A “New Bufalo” Landini tractor fitted with Mitas 65 series tyres won the classic Italian tractor-pulling contest held in San Pancrazio, near Parma on 12 September 2010. The 14 teams featuring such poetic names as Baby Tornado (second), Cobrabite (fifth) and Speedy (last) met for the 11th time since 1999 to match their power tractors in this “nerves of steel” battle for primacy.
“This extreme tractor sport is electrifying,” said Gaetano Mellia of CGS Pneumatici Italia. CGS Tyres produces Mitas-brand tractor tyres. “Unlike in other sports, the sportsmen compete with end-user machines driving on end-user tyres with the lugs cut off. The tractor’s horsepower preserved by the tyre is one secret ingredient of victory.”
Mitas a.s. has reportedly signed a “Declaration of Understanding” to build a new tyre production plant in the Czech Zlín Region, an essential step for the realization of the project. Contracts are said to be being drawn up currently. Mitas, a division of Czech Rubber Group CGS Tyres, is reportedly planning a 1 billion Czech koruny (£34 million, 40.65 million euros, US$53.73 million) investment in the Holešov Industrial Zone in the Czech Republic.
According to a Holešov Industrial Zone statement, the company is planning to build the plant at the end of next year and it will be fully operating in 2014. The site is expected to employ 500-550 people. The new factory will reportedly require 6.5 hectares of land, with the option for another 6 hectares. Mitas plans to produce mainly tyres agricultural tyres in Holešov. It has found several suitable places for realization of its intention, and finally it has been decided for Holešov.
Chinese tyre manufacturer Guizhou Tyre Company Ltd has maintained a relatively low profile in the UK up till now, but this is reportedly about to change as a result of the company’s decision to raise its profile with a stand at next month’s Brityrex in Manchester (5-7 October). Here’s how one company representative explained it: “The promotion of our brands within Europe and in the UK especially has been relatively low key in the past. We have now taken the strategic decision to expand our brand profile and distribution network across Europe in general and in particular the UK.” The Guizhou stand at Brityrex will exhibit products from the Advance range of radial/bias OTR tyres, radial truck tyres, agricultural tyres and industrial/fork lift tyres.
South Africa’s Competition Commission reports it has referred a complaint of collusive tendering, price fixing, information exchange and market allocation against the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (Pty) Ltd (SATMC) and the four tyre manufacturers and suppliers it represents to the Competition Tribunal for adjudication.
In introducing the newest size in its Forest King F range, Nokian Tyres has described it as the “world’s strongest forest tyre”. Intended for fitment on CTL (cut-to-length) harvesters, the range has been extended to include size 710/45-26.5, the first tyre in the line-up to have a Ply Rate of 24. Nokian states that the cross-ply tyre “offers the best available reliability and load-bearing capacity for modern harvesters and forwarders.”
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