Denman Tire Corp. has introduced a new line of radial trailer tyres.
The new tyres will be available in sizes ST175/80R-13 6 PR; ST205/75R-14 6 PR; ST215/75R-14 6 PR; ST205/75R-15 6 PR; ST205/75R-15 8 PR; ST225/75R-15 8 PR; ST225/75R-15 10 PR and ST235/80R-16 10 PR. (Tire Review/Akron)
Michelin has added another pence per kilometre (PPK) partner to its UK portfolio through signing a three-year contract with petrochemical transport specialist Reynolds Logistics. As part of the deal the Reynolds fleet of 44 tonne Mercedes-Benz Actros tractor units and 18 to 26 tonne Axor rigids will be fitted with a range of XZE2+ / XDE2+ tyres, as wear dictates, whilst its Magyar tankers will receive XTE2 and XTE3 trailer tyres.
“With a fleet covering more than three million kilometres a year delivering bulk lubricants, safety is of paramount importance,” commented Ian Williams, fleet operations manager at Reynolds Logistics.
DM Marketing LLC is an international tyre trading firm operated by UHP and private brand tyre trade specialist Don Mathis. Mathis has been active in the UHP segment of the market since 1976, when he was with Pirelli for the introduction of the original P7. From late 1979 until today he has dealt internationally, specializing in the UHP business. During a nine-year term with ZT Wholesale, he built the Wanli brand in the USA to over 550,000 annual UHP unit sales.
Mathis also has extensive experience when it comes to doing business in the Far East. Three years ago, he was the only American displaying at CITExpo, and is well known with most major European dealers. Recently serving as the general manager for the US operation of Sentaida International, Mathis established and built the Lexani and Diamondback tyre brands in the US and around the world. Today he is still working with the Diamondback brand to further develop the product line and establish global distribution. According to company literature, DM Marketing will continue to specialize in UHP for major brands, but also offers PCR, TBR and S/T trailer tyres. “We will soon offer new private brands in both UHP and PCR for exclusive worldwide distribution,” Mathis told Tyres & Accessories.
Scottish haulage company Ian S Roger has switched to an all-Michelin tyre policy for trucks and trailers following a successful in-house trial which saw a set of Michelin XDN2 Grip tyres on a drive axle return 260,000km with their first re-groove. Company director Colin Roger commented: “We initially trialled a set of Michelin’s and were amazed at the performance. Over the last decade we have fitted cheaper tyres to our vehicles in the belief that we would be saving money, but we never seemed to get any mileage out of them and suffered frequent punctures. It proved that in this business you really do get what you pay for.
“Our vehicles use a mixture of A-roads, motorways and occasionally go off-road when visiting livestock or agricultural customers, so tyres endure a hard life with us. XDN2 Grip tyres offer increased performance and traction over a variety of surfaces and, coupled with a complete Michelin fitment package, we have noticed a significant reduction in the number of tyre related breakdowns,” adds Mr Roger.
Bandag has launched the BTM-WB (Bandag Trailer Mix – Wide Base), a new application specific tread product designed for fleets whose trailer and semi-trailer tyres need to cope with harsh, wear-intensive conditions on a wide variety of on-road and off-road surfaces. According to Bandag, this wide-single tread product also performs well when fitted on drive axles.
Although the new BTM-WB has been designed to operate in off-road conditions, the manufacturer reports it also performs very well on surfaced roads in local and even regional service. Bandag is confident that the BTM-WB will become a firm favourite with fleets that have to deal with severe tyre wear rates.
Welsh haulage firm CJ Bird Transport regularly clocks up 500,000 km on its Michelin drive axle tyres and 600,000 km on its Michelin trailer tyres thanks to an active programme of tyre husbandry carried out by independent tyre dealer Celtic Tyres. The Llantrisant-based company specifies Michelin as original equipment wherever possible, and the tyres’ longevity means many of the trucks it purchases never need to be fitted with a new replacement tyre during their life on the fleet.
Maxxis says that it is “among the top three manufacturers of quality tyres for the amenity market,” and with its wide variety of ATV, 4×4 and high speed trailer tyres, the company is confident that it can meet a variety of applications within the agricultural sector. “The agricultural sector accounts for a large proportion of our ATV tyre sales,” states Maxxis International UK’s managing director Derek McMartin.
As an OE supplier to many major ATV manufacturers, including Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Polaris and Suzuki, Maxxis ATV tyres are acknowledged for all-round performance across a wide range of applications.
Trials held over the last year are working towards developing a tyre system that can lesson the impact of timber trailers on rural and forest roads, thus reducing the need for road maintenance. To help reach this objective, timber haulier James Jones & Sons Ltd has been working with Michelin in Scotland, operating specially adapted Dennison and SDC trailers equipped with Tireboss central tyre inflation systems and Michelin X One MaxiTrailer tyres. The use of this combination equipment, reports Michelin, increases the tyres’ footprint, and in doing so reduces soil erosion and damage to roads and forestry land.
Goodyear, along with Tredit Tire & Wheel Company, has signed a two-year extension of their contact to supply trailer tyres to OE trailer manufacturers in the US. This arrangement thus sees the continuation of a relationship begun in 2005. Goodyear will supply its Marathon ST tyres, which range in size from 13 to 16- inch rim diameters. Goodyear Marathon tyres are used on light- and medium-duty trailers, which include RV, cargo, horse and boat trailers.
Leading European trailer-maker, Kögel, has selected Kumho Tyres as its original equipment supplier. Kögel has chosen Kumho’s Longmark KLT01, a new generation, long haul tyre. The KLT01 features a low rolling resistance design. According to the company, its high quality carcass and low road noise level are other qualities that combine to make KLT01 “one of the best-designed trailer tyres on the market.”
The following sizes of KLT01 will be delivered immediately:
445/45 R 19.5
435/50 R 19.5
385/65 R 22.5
385/55 R 22.5
At September’s IAA International Commercial Vehicle Show in Germany, Goodyear presented five new tyre sizes it believes provide important solutions to the transport industry’s constantly evolving demands. In particular, Goodyear says it has addressed new trends in trailer design, which have been brought about by technological evolution and changing customer requirements. Disc brakes have improved, resulting in a greater demand for them. Operators also want the lowest possible chassis heights and ‘special transport’ trailers with 12 tonnes axle load capacity at 80 km/h.
Aeolus, a Chinese tyre manufacturer, recently introduced a new series of mega-trailer tyres, which are now making a strong impression on the company’s market position. Since the introduction, this specific series of tyres has been filling a need in the market, as is evident from the sales statistics of its European importer, Heuver Tyrewholesale. With the Dutch wholesaler’s support – in evidence in the company’s roadshow event following the Hanover Messe event – Aeolus hopes to achieve major brand status in the coming years. A promotional bus will visit current and potential customers to demonstrate different products from Aeolus Tyres. The road show was set up to further increase brand awareness and to inform customers about the products.
Following the launch of its 22.5 inch truck tyres at the 2005 Brityrex exhibition, Maxxis has expanded its range over the past few years – most recently introducing a super single to the market – and the brand is continuing to prove worth its salt via long-term mileage tests with leading UK fleets.
“The full range of Maxxis truck tyres is now available in the UK and sales have increased steadily on the back of the excellent results we’ve been getting from our customer test programme,” says Maxxis UK International managing director Derek McMartin. “The figures reflect those achieved in tests carried out elsewhere in Europe, and put Maxxis right up there with the top brands in the sector when it comes to quality, reliability and value for money, so we’re delighted to expand our offering by incorporating a full truck range of steer, drive and trailer tyres.”
On the market from Bandag is a replacement to its BWBT (E) trailer tyre. Called the BTR-WB, the new product is a regional wide base ECL the company says has benefited from exhaustive testing and performs superbly in the most severe circumstances.
Wide base trailer tyres used in regional applications have a tough life and have to cope with endless tight turns and manoeuvring. The result of this can often be irregular wear patterns, and Bandag has this phenomenon in mind when it began developing the BTR-WB application specific trailer product. Several prototypes, hundreds of test tyres and many millions of test kilometres later, Bandag has introduced a product it is confident performs well in all circumstances.
At the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, Germany, held between September 23 and October 2, Continental intends to present a wide range of products and services for commercial vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators and special-purpose vehicle manufacturers. The company reports it will be exhibiting both indoors, at booth B05 in hall 17, and outdoors (G 63). Last year’s takeover of Siemens VDO Automotive has further expanded the company’s product spectrum, specifically in the area of commercial and special-purpose vehicles. All in all, five of Continental’s six divisions will have new products and services on view at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2008, not least the tyre products division.
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