We’ve emerged from lockdown into a market environment of rising raw material prices, a global imbalance of containers and exploding shipping costs, not to mention continuing port disruptions. These combined factors have already led to higher tyre prices and product shortages in some instances, but the extent to which customers are affected can be tempered by good stock management.
BKT has debuted a new on-/off-road tyre for trucks and mixed-use vehicles employed in agricultural applications, the Multimax MP 569. The tyre maker created the BKT Multimax MP 569 as a front axle fitment in size 445/65 R 22.5, to be employed in combination with the FL 633 Performa on the rear axle in size 600/50 R 22.5.
The growth of the construction and industrial sectors is currently faster than any other part of the private sector economy, says Kirkby Tyres, Speke-based distributor of OTR tyres. In order to support this growth, Kirkby adds that it is positioning itself to supply a comprehensive line-up of tyre patterns and applications to serve its customer base. While this growth is encouraging, wholesalers must contend with the unprecedented challenges currently affecting global supply chains, including long production lead times and increases in raw materials and shipping costs. Kirkby marketing director Michael Rosenthal tells Tyres & Accessories that these challenges are presenting a bottleneck to economic recovery. The wholesaler says it is working to reduce the impact of these challenges and support its customer base by replenishing its stockholding continuously and holding good stocks of the most common OTR tyre sizes.
Off-highway tyre specialist BKT reassures its partners and customers that, despite the worrying news from India of late, it has worked hard to protect both its workforce and production. In response to the messages of concern the BKT team in India have received from around the world, the tyre maker expresses thankfulness that so many people have been in contact and are worrying about people’s health and safety.
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.
BKT is introducing a new range for loaders and telehandlers that operate in road maintenance or waste material applications. It says it specifically developed the all-steel radial BKT Skid Max SR-Skidder for use in “extremely heavy work environments and on hard surfaces.”
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.
The BKT off-highway tyre range now includes more than 2,700 SKUs. A recent addition to the BKT portfolio is the Earthmax SR 412, which the tyre maker first announced in the middle of last year. This tyre for articulated dump trucks, loaders and dozers is now available in two sizes, 29.5 R25 and 750/65 R25.
Specialist off-highway tyre maker BKT has gained ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certification for the tyre testing and calibration capabilities within the laboratory at its Bhuj plant in India’s Gujarat state. Certification was awarded by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) according to international standards.
Doubts have surrounded the future of Balkrishna Industries (BKT)’s plans to establish a factory in the USA for the past two and a half years, and now the company has officially ended the project. This decision was agreed upon during a board meeting on Monday.
A further three sizes are joining the BKT V-Flexa range. In addition to the VF 600/55 R 26.5 agricultural trailer tyre that debuted at the Agritechnica show in November 2019, the V-Flexa is now available in sizes VF 600/65 R 26.5, VF 650/55 R 26.5 and VF 560/60 R 22.5.
Balkrishna Industries set up its BKT Carbon subsidiary at the same time as establishing a carbon black plant at its main tyre production site in Bhuj, India. This facility can now produce 140,000 tonnes of carbon black each year. BKT Carbon is responsible for this production as well as global carbon black sales, and now has its own dedicated website: www.bkt-carbon.com.
Agrimax V-Flecto is the flagship tyre within the BKT agricultural range, and BKT is broadening its application with the addition of four further sizes. One dimension – VF 710/70 R 42 – is already available and will soon be joined by VF 750/70 R 44, VF 710/75 R 38 and VF 710/55 R 38 tyres. Their introduction will increase the range to 22 sizes in total.
Curling Canada/ michael burns photo