Wheel loaders, articulated dump trucks and graders are typically used on major infrastructure projects that have tough cost and timescale targets. After researching operator requirements, Goodyear has introduced a new tyre for these vehicles, GP-3E. It says the increased the operational versatility of its latest tyre generation makes “tyre choice easy for the operator.”
Although impacted by the rising cost of raw materials and logistics, off-highway tyre specialist BKT delivered a healthy profit in the financial year ending 31 March 2022. Profit after tax rose 22 per cent year-on-year to Rs 14.11 billion (£148.58 million) on the back of income that rose 47 per cent to Rs 84.19 billion (£886.52 million) and sales volumes that increased 27 per cent to 288,795 tonnes. EBITDA was, at Rs 21.82 billion (£229.76 million), up 21 per cent, with the margin contracting 5.6 percentage points to 25.9 per cent.
Off-highway tyre specialist BKT is reaching out to a younger demographic by opening its own TikTok channel. It launched tiktok.com/@bkt.tires in March and with it aims to gain the attention of Gen Z and Gen Alpha – the age groups representing “the future of agriculture and of our planet.”
Apollo Tyres has appointed Guido Boerkamp director of its Off-Highway Tyres (OHT) division. Boerkamp joined the company (then known as Vredestein) in 1995 as a product specialist for agricultural and industrial tyres. He subsequently worked as product manager, business development manager and head of product group, before leading Apollo Tyres’ European OHT R&D division. Boerkamp succeeds Ruud Nijland who is retiring after over a decade at the company in this position.
Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT) has an additional partner in Sweden. In addition to its four-decade old strategic partnership with NDI, the tyre maker is now also working with Broson Wheels. Introducing its new partner, YOHT shares that Broson Wheels is the “market leader of the OE2 business and leading supplier of tyres, rims, wheels and accessories for off-highway vehicles in Sweden.”
Construction equipment firm Liebherr has approved Vredestein tyres as original equipment for several of its wheel loader models. The agreement with Apollo Tyres Ltd. sees Vredestein Endurion and Flotation Trac tyres homologated for the Liebherr compact wheel loaders L 504, L 506 and L 508.
With exports of its off-highway tyres (OHT) particularly healthy at present, India’s Ceat Limited has decided to increase its strategic focus in this area and will more than double agricultural radial capacity by mid-2023. Existing plans to expand truck and bus radial (TBR) production are thus taking a back seat.
Off-highway tyre specialist BKT has set up a new facility near its existing Waluj plant in India’s Maharashtra state. The original intention was to decommission the older factory once the new one was operational, but BKT reports that due to “extremely robust” demand, it has decided to continue operations at the old Waluj plant.
Rugby World Cup France 2023 has an official off-highway tyre supplier, and that supplier is BKT. Commenting on the company’s involvement in what may well be the world’s third-largest sporting event, Lucia Salmaso, chief executive officer of BKT Europe, says her team is “proud and honoured to be able to support Rugby World Cup France 2023 in this wonderful adventure.”
With global demand for its specialty tyres on the rise, Sri Lankan off-highway tyre maker GRI is expanding its manufacturing capacity through a range of projects, including construction of a new mixing plant in Mirigama, 40 miles east of Colombo. GRI is investing US$25 million to set up the facility, which will have a capacity of 200 tonnes a day.
Armchair farmers rejoice: Farming Simulator 22 debuts on 22 November. We’ve already reported that Continental tyres will debut on this latest version, and BKT now shares that its tyres will also be available on the virtual tractors and agricultural machinery. The following BKT products are joining the simulation: Agrimax V-Flecto, Agrimax Force, Agrimax Teris, Multimax MP 522 and Ridemax FL 693 M.
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.
moveero (the new name for GKN Wheels) has appointed Hugo Burgers to the position of chief sales officer (CSO). Effective 1 September 2021, Hugo joins the business with experience of senior level appointments in businesses across the off-highway industry, including at Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (where he was sales director/head of Europe West for four-and-a-half years), Warn Industries and John Deere.
Apollo Tyres (UK) has appointed a new specialist to oversee sales of its growing off-highway tyres (OHT) range and support existing and new customers. Darren Longstaff becomes Apollo Tyres’ OHT Specialist and brings over 35 years of experience in the tyre industry.
Apollo Tyres
moveero