Agricultural
Sri Lankan tyre maker GRI Tires strives to be a responsible company that always recognises the importance of giving back to the country and its people, especially in times of need. Managing director Prabhash Subasinghe states that it “is ingrained in our DNA as an organisation to give back to society.”
Mahansaria Tyres Private Limited (MTPL) has made an agreement in-principle with Tyres International Inc (TI) to buy a majority stake in the US-based tyre wholesaler. According to MTPL, the move is the latest part of its bid to build a global, market leading off-Highway tyre business and the first part of MTPL plans to build its distribution network in North America.
Michelin continues to expand its network of approved dealers north of the border, with the addition of Redpath Tyres to its Quality-Approved Centres list. Specialising in commercial, agricultural and earthmover tyres, the family-run business has grown substantially since it was founded in the Scottish Borders by Peter Redpath in 1974.
With 150 years in the business, Continental may well just be the oldest firm in existence still making tyres today. The company has been offering solutions since the days when horsepower was indeed horsepower, but Continental’s off-highway tyres are a much more recent addition – it’s only a little under a century since the first products came to market. As its celebrates its sesquicentennial jubilee, Continental looks back over its activities in this sector from the very earliest days.
Yokohama Off-Highway Tires’ Alliance brand has expanded its value segment portfolio with the introduction of a tyre for pivot irrigation systems, the Alliance 768 Value Plus. This new addition is available in three sizes – 11.2-24, 14.9-24 and 11.2-38.
BKT has become presenting sponsor of the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship. Contested on 30 April at the Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Canada, the World Curling Federation event is the second to receive BKT sponsorship; the OTR and agricultural tyre manufacturer was the title sponsor of the World Men’s Curling Championship in Calgary between 2 and 11 April. BKT said the number of curling enthusiasts has grown significantly worldwide over the last two years and the sport is particularly popular in key markets for the brand, like Canada’s rural population.
An in-depth study into the impact of traffic and tillage on soil compaction has found agricultural machinery running low pressure Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres could boost farmers’ yields by 4 per cent, helping to ‘feed the world’ for years to come. Harper Adams University – a specialist provider of higher education for the agricultural and rural sector – has been leading the investigation, utilising one site at its campus in Newport and another site in the USA in conjunction with the University of Illinois.
Trelleborg Wheel Systems is celebrating the 70th anniversary of tractor and agricultural machinery manufacturer Valtra with its tyre personalisation service, YourTire. Among the initiatives to honour Valtra’s milestone, Trelleborg has employed YourTire to create bespoke TM1060 tyres with Valtra’s anniversary logo. These tyres will be fitted to a limited-edition version of the Valtra T Series tractor released to celebrate the occasion.
Michelin has shared a few key details about its new AgriBib Row Crop IF, a range of Improved Flexion tyres designed specifically for use on self-propelled and trailed sprayers and on low to medium horsepower row crop tractors from 70 to 180HP. According to the manufacturer, this newest addition to its agricultural tyre range offers farmers and contractors three major benefits.
Several leading tyre repairers have joined the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) following the launch of the association’s Responsible Repairer Group (RRG) on 23 March. Midland Tyre Control Ltd, TRS Tyres Ltd, TS Tyre Repairs Ltd, and Jade Tyre LLP have all joined the NTDA over the last three weeks. The team in Aylesbury adds that many more membership enquiries from across the UK have been received from repairers too.
The ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation) has appointed Denis Piccolo chairman of its agriculture sub-committee. In this role the product manager for off-highway tyre specialist BKT is tasked with consolidating the ETRTO’s position and official feedback on requests regarding agricultural tyres. He is also responsible for the data published in the Technical Manual (Standard Manual) and in Engineering Design Information, which contain ETRTO’s official indications for the agricultural sector.
GRI has held the latest in its series of events organised through its GREEN X Circle initiative. GRI’s Monaragala, Sri Lanka event brought together natural rubber and rice farmers to show their connectivity. Both farming communities are key stakeholders in the GRI value chain, the Sri Lankan speciality and agricultural tyre manufacturer states. The initiative’s purpose is to foster connectivity and collaboration between the two farming ecosystems while placing emphasis on sustainability principles.
The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) is launching a new Responsible Repairer Group for companies providing major repairs for commercial vehicle, OTR, agricultural as well as plant and equipment tyres. Tyres & Accessories understands that “several major repairers” have expressed interest in the group.
Curling Canada/ michael burns photo
Jonathan Gill, Harper Adams University
Nigel Durrant; Pixabay