In India, the lighting of a lamp symbolises new beginnings. For BKT, this tradition was a fitting gesture for observing a significant step in what it calls the ‘Next Level’: The lighting ceremony marked the start of festivities to celebrate the inauguration of BKT’s rebuilt European headquarters on 5 April.
According to Nokian Tyres, global demand for premium heavy tyres is rising and new, larger tyres for bulkier machinery need to be developed. To meet this demand, the tyre maker’s Nokian Heavy Tyres unit will erect a new research and development centre in Nokia, Finland next year.
Yet another sports sponsorship for BKT – following on from the start of its Serie B and Coupe de la Ligue title sponsorships in Italy and France, the off-highway tyre specialist has entered into a partnership with the KFC Big Bash League (BBL) cricket league in Australia. BKT has signed an agreement with governing body Cricket Australia that secures its status as off-highway tyre supplier to the Twenty20 cricket league for three years.
We’re more used to seeing winter tyres in the car and truck segments, however off-highway tyre specialist BKT has launched a range of tyres developed with colder conditions in mind. These are the Earthmax SR 22, Snow Trac and Earthmax SR 42 for OTR applications, as well as Earthmax SR 33 and Ridemax IT 696 for the industrial sector.
When Tyrepress.com visited BKT’s new factory in Bhuj, India late in 2015, work had begun on a new research and development centre. The off-road tyre maker reports that this facility is now complete, and it recently inaugurated the ‘Suresh Poddar Innovation Hub’. The centre is named after the oldest of the three Poddar brothers. It is located within a 25-acre area called the Mahabirprasad Poddar Knowledge Center, named after BKT founder, the late Mahabirprasad Poddar.
A new agreement between Continental AG and Caterpillar Inc. will see the tyre maker equip the 770 to 775 model series of Cat off-highway trucks with Continental RDT-Master tyres in sizes 18.00R33, 21.00R33 and 24.00R35. The agreement also covers a collaboration between the two companies for the design of new tyres for two other Cat products – medium wheel loaders and articulated dump trucks.
The new, 54,000 ton per annum Alliance Tire Group factory in India’s Gujarat state is now in operation. The company reported the inauguration of its third facility (the others being Hadera, Israel and Tirunelveli, India) in the second half of December 2014, and said the US$150 million facility in Dahej will reach full capacity in early 2016. At this date it is expected to employ some 1,500 workers.
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