MINING TYRES
Engineering at Goodyear states:“ We have observed that demand is on the upswing. Commodity prices remain strong, although they haven’ t returned to levels seen during the last mining boom. However, they are robust enough that many mines are increasing their level of activity. This has led to increased demand for tyres at both the OE and replacement levels.” He adds:“ We remain focused on growth and helping customers enhance their operational efficiencies while lowering their operating costs. we are committed to investing in our OTR tyre development and capacity, when and where it makes sense for both Goodyear and our customers. As mining operations are becoming more sophisticated and have more detailed, specific requirements for their tyres, we are also working to ensure that mining operations have even greater access to our premium products, services and solutions. Our connected business model includes experienced global sales and field support for end users, as well as an international distribution network that covers six continents. In addition, we provide reliable services like on-site consultations, site audits, footprint evaluations, tyre surveys, temperature studies and more, all designed to help mining operations optimise their tyre investment. We also provide powerful management tools, like the recently enhanced EMTrack tyre performance monitoring system, to help mining operations manage their tyre assets more effectively.”
Karl Litzinger, B2B Marketing Director – Off Highway Transportation( OHT), Michelin North America told IM:“ Commodity prices improved in 2017, helping miners recover. This should result in a continued positive market in 2018. We do not expect a negative trend in 2018. In 2018, we expect strong demand across our Michelin portfolio of products and services. We are constantly working on our product and service offer to find better solutions for our customers. Our production follows the demand of our customers. As their demand increases so will our production. Customers remain focused on optimising production and controlling their costs. Total cost of ownership will continue to be a focus area. Customers obviously want to leverage fully the improved commodity market without overinvesting. We see growing interest in optimising mining operations to get the most ore for the lowest resource investment. We are proud to be partnering with key mines globally to develop the right solutions with answers tailored to the specific conditions of the particular minesite. Smaller-scale mining will remain costchallenged despite the improvement in commodity prices. These concerns will be felt across the channel.”
In underground, Michelin will be launching new underground mining tyres in July 2018- the
X Mine D2 PRO and XSM D2 + PRO. Underground mines have sharps rocks, standing water and narrow tunnels creating a harsh environment for tyres. The new Michelin Pro series is designed to endure the extreme conditions with aggression resistance and endurance for loaders and transport machines.
Rob Seibert, Director, Marketing, Off-the-Road Tires, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations told IM:“ Our customers are evolving. They are asking for more support from manufacturers and dealers. They need steady product supply / quality, field engineering, a trusted and accessible dealer network and solutions that will help in optimising production, reducing costs, increasing efficiency and improving safety on jobsites. The Bridgestone OTR global dealer network is one of the largest and most capable in the industry. Bridgestone dealers are well-versed in best practices, product recommendations and performance tracking to drive customer uptime and improve operational efficiencies. Irrespective of the size of the miner and way of buying, customers appreciate a stronger partnership with their suppliers.”
New Bridgestone tyres include the 29.5R25 VSMS2( V-Steel Smooth Tread-MS 2) tyre. This new addition to the VSMS2 line up comes in a 29.5R25 size, expanding the product line to four sizes for underground mining application. The new tyre is designed to last longer and reduce