Agricultural
CGS Tyres’ German branch achieved an overall 'A' rating, the highest award, in Fendt's supplier programme. CGS Tyres was given the highest rating 'A' in all the categories evaluated: quality, logistics, service and environment.
The Pelmar Engineering Group says it has purchased the equipment from Alliance Tire’s passenger car radial factory in Israel. The machinery covered by the purchase includes first and second stage Marangoni tyre building units, a Steelastic machine, Apex machine, 30 x 40.5-inch tyre curing presses, bladder presses and D-70 uniformity machine. Upon announcing the acquisition, Pelmar commented that Alliance’s production of passenger car tyres ended in September 2009 following some five months of reduced output. The Israel based supplier of new, used and reconditioned tyre and rubber machinery explained that production was stopped in the face of tough competition from low cost foreign tyre manufacturers and the almost total absence of import duties upon tyres entering Israel.
During the previous three years Alliance Tire has invested US$300 million in the company’s further development. This sizeable sum has been directed into several key projects. The highest profile of these, of course, has been last December’s acquisition of certain GPX assets, including the Galaxy and Primex OTR tyre brands. A specific focus has also been placed upon Alliance’s principal market of Europe: In December Alliance Tire Europe BV’s new headquarters was opened, and several weeks later Alliance Tire announced the appointment of a new president for the operation, former head of Goodyear industrial, farm and OTR tyre initiatives for the Middle East and Africa region, Manuel Pintado. Recently Tyres & Accessories paid Alliance Tire’s new European headquarters in Halsteren, the Netherlands a visit to hear Mr. Pintado’s views on Alliance’s recent activities and where the company plans to go from here.
The specialised requirements of rice and cane farming are being addressed by the latest Goodyear Farm Tires product. Parent company Titan Tire Corporation reports its engineers have worked together with rice and cane farmers and with Bobby Henard Tire, a Titan and Goodyear brand dealer located in Brinkley, Arkansas in order to develop the new Goodyear Special Sure Grip TD-8 Radial R-2 480/80R50, a tyre it says allows rice and cane farmers to plant in 30-inch rows helping to maximise crop yields. In addition, Special Sure Grip is said to provide additional crop clearance and improved flotation in wet fields, and the extra lug bracing provides strength for the horsepower needed in rice and cane conditions.
Trelleborg AB reports that its Trelleborg Wheel Systems division achieved net sales of SEK 2,991 million (₤263.6 million) during the previous financial year, a decrease of 19.3 per cent on its 2008 result. In releasing its figures for January to December, the Swedish manufacturer notes “organic sales declined 26 per cent, exchange-rate effects were 7 per cent and structural changes 0 per cent. Net sales are lower as a result of a significant decrease in demand for industrial tyres and lower agricultural-tyre sales. Demand for agricultural tyres showed some variation in the various sub-segments, where the trend for large dimensions was better in relative terms, but demand for this product group also fell toward year-end.”
Goodyear Farm Tires, a Titan Tire Corporation brand, has introduced a new tyre the company says is suited to wet conditions. To help it achieve this wet condition operability, the DT 930 TM in size 1100/45R46 features a low sidewall (LSW) aspect ratio.
Goodyear has announced a significant increase in the number of sizes in its Optitrac DT800 range of narrow row crop tyres. The newly introduced OPTITRAC DT800 sizes cover 34 to 54-inch rim dimensions and are specifically developed for tractors working on row crop applications, on spraying equipment and in any other application where narrow tyres are required. The Optitrac DT800 also has a premium tread depth to allow excellent traction and a high number of working hours. In addition the range is rated to carry the same load at 40 & 50 Km/h.
Singapore-based contract tyre manufacturing, marketing and distributing firm Omni-United boasts offering a complete range of product and service solutions. The company’s commitment to quality, delivery efficiencies and knowledge, says Omni, has resulted in a dynamic and continued growth across all continents.
Now available to subscribers online, January 2010's magazine includes features on agricultural tyres and motorcycles tyres. For more details and to view the virtual magazine, click more.
Titan Tire Corporation, a subsidiary of Titan International, has announced price increases for its Titan branded OTR, agricultural and construction tyres, and Titan manufactured Goodyear branded agricultural tyres. These price rises will take effect March 1, 2010, and will in most cases incorporate an increase of up to six per cent. Titan comments, however, that “certain tyre prices may rise in excess of six per cent due to realignment and positioning of the product.”
During last November’s Agritechnica 2009 show in Germany, off-road tyre specialist BKT displayed no less than five new product lines. These additions to an agricultural range that began with the company’s first 85 series Agrimax tractor tyre some six years ago are the result of Balkrishna Tyres’ stated strategy of continually introducing products that cover all the needs of the agricultural market. Such a strategy is hardly surprising when considering that agricultural tyres currently account for around 60 per cent of BKT’s sales.
It is now three years since Warburg Pincus and its partner, former Balkrishna Industries executive director Yogesh Mahansaria, announced an intention to acquire Alliance Tire. In the time since the Mahansaria family and their global private equity backer took possession of Alliance for approximately US$150 million, plans to develop the business have progressed steadily. Not only has the goal of taking advantage of India’s cheaper production costs been realised – the company’s $100 million cross-ply agricultural tyre factory in Tirunelveli has been readied for the start of commercial production – during 2009 acquisitions and further inroads into new markets boosted the Alliance brand’s profile considerably.
Changes are afoot within Goodyear Tire & Rubber’s European agricultural tyre business. Last September, the company signed a non-binding letter of intent with Titan International to sell its European agricultural tyre assets, including the Goodyear Dunlop Tires France Amiens North factory. In December Tyres & Accessories discussed this deal with Alessandro Coggi, managing director Farm and Industrial Tires, Goodyear Dunlop Europe.
Michelin made a worthy contribution to agricultural vehicle safety during the summer through a group of experts in the field. The Michelin Agricultural Contractor Panel, made up of five agricultural contractors – all of whom are past winners of the Farmer’s Weekly Contactor of the Year Competition and benchmark industry specialists – met on a regular basis and used the Michelin brand to help communicate technical issues facing the industry. The five members, Jonathan Cole, Troy Stuart, Roger Dickinson, Mike Simpson and Daniel James, made their first panel appearance at Stoneleigh’s Agricultural Showground.
In 1997, Vredestein introduced the first four dimensions in its Traxion+ tractor radial line-up, and the company notes these tyres were an instant success. More than a decade on and Vredestein says the Traxion+ tyres are still gaining market share in almost all European countries. A new tyre based upon the Traxion+ design has now been produced. Vredestein calls it the TraxionXXL.
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