The steer tire of the future will most likely boast fewer ribs, straighter grooves and simpler tread patterns as truck tire manufacturers continue to pursue lower rolling resistance and the minimization of irregular wear, says Roger Stansbie, director of tire technology, Commercial Division, for Continental Tire the Americas LLC.

Tags: CARB, Commercial Tire Dealer, Continental, Purol, Steer tires, Treadways, truck tires

It’s no secret that fuel efficiency has been a top concern among trucking fleets for many years. However, up until recently, any effort by fleet owners to reduce fuel consumption and, in turn, their rigs’ greenhouse gas emissions, by running low rolling resistance tires on tractors and trailers was strictly voluntary.

Tags: Commercial Tire Dealer, CTD, SmartWay, truck tires

Double Coin certainly is a brand on a mission. “We’ve become more focused on marketing products rather than just selling products,” says Aaron Murphy, vice president of China Manufacturers Alliance LLC, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Double Coin Holdings Ltd. “We’re not here to sell production. We’re here to sell a brand.”

Tags: Aaron Murphy, Commercial Tire Dealer, CTD, Double Coin

Prevailing thought has always been when fleet budgets are stretched thin, retreads — and the cost savings they represent — become that much more attractive.

Tags: Bridgestone, Bridgestone Bandag, Retreading, Scott Damon

"If I had to break it down, I’d say we’re pursuing two key objectives, which is to serve the end user and also serve the dealer,” says Marc Laferriere, vice president of marketing for Michelin Americas Truck Tires, whose Michelin Retread Technologies Inc. (MRTI) arm signed several big retreaders last year.

Tags: Marc Laferriere, Michelin, Retreading

Domestic retreaders produced more than 13 million truck tire retreads last year, down 10% from the year before. By comparison, new replacement truck tire shipments totaled 12.5 million units, down 19.3%.

Tags: Retreading, Top 100 Retreaders

Just when you thought the state of the OTR tire market couldn’t get any worse, you’re right — it probably won’t. In terms of volume, the North American OTR tire segment has reached its lowest point in 10 years, a Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (BATO) executive told attendees at the 2010 Tire Industry Association OTR Tire Conference, held late February in Tucson, Ariz.

Tags: Bridgestone, Michelin, OTR, Techking, Titan, Yokohama

It’s been a tough environment for retreading, and the numbers show it. According to Modern Tire Dealer’s 2010 Facts Issue, published last month, an estimated 13 million retreaded medium and heavy truck tires were produced in the U.S. last year vs. 14.7 million medium and heavy truck tire retreads produced in the U.S. during 2008.

Tags: retreaded tires

Falken Tire Corp. will return to the medium truck tire market next month when it takes over distribution of the Ohtsu truck tire brand in North America. The Fontana, Calif.-based company will assume control of Ohtsu from Itochu International on March 1.

Tags: Falken, Ohtsu, truck tires

The country’s largest independent commercial tire dealership has just gotten bigger. Midwestern commercial/retail juggernaut Best-One Tire & Service has acquired four Easter Tire & Retreading Inc. commercial tire outlets in northwest Ohio.

Tags: Best-One, commercial tire sales