Nokian Tyres and Valtra have combined their expertise to set a new record for tractors, clocking 130.165km/h (80.88mph) on a snowy and icy road in Finnish Lapland. Multiple World Rally champion, Juha Kankkunen drove the Valtra T234, which ran on the world’s first winter tyre for tractors, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI (440/80R28 151D & 540/80R38 167D). Click through to the full story to watch a video documenting the new World Record.
Mitas has launched a “slick” agricultural tyre designed for use in the niche sport of tractor-pulling. The Powerpull 30.5L-32 is manufactured without a tread pattern, allowing the competitor to create the winning tread design. Its bias-ply construction and manufacture is based on a process similar to that of the Mitas’ high-horsepower tractor tyres, which the Czech company says will guarantee endurance and durability.
Liverpool wholesaler Kirkby Tyres, a market leader in the UK agricultural tyre sector, has recently expanded, purchasing a further three acres adjacent to its site for the expansion of warehousing and logistics. The company now has nearly 10 acres at its HQ; the latest development represented significant growth. “Support from our key suppliers is enabling Kirkby to expand in the OE and aftermarket within the UK and Ireland,” MD Dave Dorrity told Tyres & Accessories. The wholesaler supplies Alliance, BKT and Malhotra brand tyres to the segment, as well as becoming the exclusive Trelleborg wholesaler for the UK last year. Ahead of LAMMA, Dorrity gave T&A a rundown of current activities with its major brands, as well as detailing a new deal with Linglong.
The Antarctica2 team led by ‘Tractor Girl’, Manon Ossevoort, has now reached the South Pole. This completes the first part of an expedition to take a Massey Ferguson MF 5610 tractor on a 5,000 kilometre return trip to the Pole this winter. As the expedition’s official partner, Trelleborg developed a special multi-purpose tyre and rim set enabled the MF 5610 to successfully tackle the treacherous weather conditions of the Antarctic.
Most farmers are unlikely to ever operate their tractors in Antarctic conditions, but should the need arise it’s reassuring to know they can. Massey Ferguson is heading to the South Pole next month with Manon Ossevoort – the Dutch woman popularly known as ‘The Tractor Girl’ – who will drive a MF 5600 tractor to the bottom of the world. Trelleborg has been selected as official partner for the 1,460 mile/2,350 kilometre ‘Antarctica2’ expedition that sets off on 21 November, and has developed a special multi-purpose tyre and wheel set for the journey.
It’s only a short time ago that Heuver Tyrewholesale began distributing the LingLong range of tractor tyres, and now the line-up it offers is being expanded. In addition to the 85-series drive axle products it already offers, the wholesaler now stocks 70, 80 and 90-series LingLong tractor tyres. Heuver says it is focusing on high-demand sizes, and adds that a line for towed vehicles will follow these new additions.
The world of tractor pulling awaits Mitas following the development of the company’s first prototype tractor pulling tyre and the signing of a sponsorship agreement with the European Tractor Pulling Committee (ETPC). The Mitas Powerpull has been developed using a similar manufacturing process to that used for the Czech tyre maker’s high-power tractor tyres, and Mitas says the production version of the Powerpull will be available this year. The first test prototypes were cured at the company’s Otrokovice factory in April.
This year, Nokian Heavy Tyres is introducing a new winter tyre aimed at contractors such as those engaged in winter road maintenance and snow clearing. Nokian claims this new addition to its portfolio, the Hakkapeliitta TRI, as “another first from the inventor of winter tyres” and says it introduces totally new technologies that will benefit users in winter contracting and snow clearing businesses. These innovations include a “revolutionary tread design, tread block siping with siping activators and specially designed winter tread compound”; features said to “ensure that the user has superior traction and the best possible handling without compromising the economy of use.”
US off-road tyre specialist Titan International has released a new category of Goodyear brand tractor tyres intended to provide better floatation. Initially two ranges from this category are on offer: The Goodyear Super Terra Grip XT 1000/40R32 and the Goodyear DT930 1100/45R46. The tyres feature a wide footprint designed for a smoother ride, tighter turn radius, reduced width, improved flotation and reduced soil compaction. Both also feature low sidewall technology, reducing road lope and power hop and improving lateral stability on hillside conditions.
The performance of equipment in the field can greatly impact productivity, and thus, bottom line. Titan International points out that tyres are a very important part of this equation, and with regular inspection, and – if necessary – minor adjustments, agricultural machinery operators can see great improvements in the durability and performance of the tyres in the field. Titan says that following the completion of spring planting, the time is right to inspect tyres and make necessary adjustments to ensure the rest of the season goes off without a hitch.
Scott Sloan, agricultural product manager for Titan and Goodyear Farm Tires, says it’s as simple as following the ABCs.
Trelleborg is offering its “TLC – Trelleborg Load Calculator” app for use on Android tablets. The app, already available for iPad and desktop, aids in the calculation of the optimum tire inflation pressure on agricultural vehicles, A further version of the app for use on iOS smartphones, will be launched at Agritechnica 2013, which will be held in Hannover, Germany, from 10 – 16 November, 2013.
A County Antrim farmer has taken delivery of a new set of tractor tyres after winning at the annual Goodyear AGRI Club draw. Ivan Anderson, of Rasharkin Co Antrim, joined Goodyear’s dedicated advice service for farmers, the AGRI Club, in February 2012 and just 8 months later was the lucky member to have his name picked out of the hat at the British Ploughing Championships in October 2012.
Petlas Tire Corporation, which is known for producing the Petlas and Starmaxx brands, has announced that it has made substantial investments into expanding the agricultural radial tyre production capacity of its manufacturing plant. According to the company, the move reflects growing demand for Petlas and Starmaxx tyres from the European and North American agricultural markets. As a result of the expansion Petlas reports that it reached a annual capacity of 300,000 radial agricultural tyres – double previous levels – as of December 2012.
Mark Newhall from US publication Farm Show Magazine refers to them as being like a “field of little spears…little spears that are stabbing, and bumping and chewing up tractor tyres.” The spear-like protrusions described by Newhall are genetically modified crops, and in an interview with public radio producer American Public Media the magazine editor and others discussed the tyre issues that genetically modified crops are creating.
Michelin will use the occasion of Cereals 2012 to exhibit its largest ever farm tyre; a new dimension in the AxioBib range designed for high horsepower tractors. The Michelin AxioBib IF 900/60 R 42 has a diameter of 2.15 metres and will be launched onto the UK replacement tyre market in July 2012. The flotation tyre, using the French manufacturer’s Improved Flexion technology, is suited to demanding crop farming operations such as ploughing, where farmers and contractors are increasingly utilising larger machines to plough fields faster.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.