Agricultural tyre specialist BKT has supported the 2021 edition of the Tractor of the Year Awards, presented at the EIMA trade fair in Bologna. It is the second time the manufacturer has sponsored the awards, which recognise the most innovative and cutting-edge tractors on the market.
Off-highway tyre specialist BKT has extended the availability of its range in Canada through a new supply alliance with Fountain Tire. Effective immediately, Fountain Tire will have full access to BKT’s OTR product line-up for sale through its more than 160 locations across the country.
Balkrishna Industries Ltd., manufacturer of the BKT tyre brand, reports that it recently commenced trial production at the greenfield project on the ‘F-20’ plot, a nine-hectare site near its current Waluj, Maharashtra plant. The facility has an installed capacity of 30,000 tonnes as well as warehousing for raw materials and finished goods. The tyre maker adds that the planned “small cogeneration plant” hasn’t been installed at this point in time.
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.
Curling Canada/ michael burns photo