Michelin North America Inc. has launched the Uniroyal medium truck tire brand in the U.S. market. The new line consists of six commercial truck tires aimed at budget-conscious owner-operators and small fleets.
The company says the line provides an affordable option for every tire position and application from long-haul to regional to on-/off-road, including dry van, flat bed, construction, and pickup and delivery service. “We have a multi-portfolio of brands, the Michelin brand, the BFGoodrich brand and now the Uniroyal brand. The Uniroyal brand will target the lower intermediate and budget segment of the marketplace,” says Donna Murphy, business segment manager for Uniroyal Commercial Truck Tires.
“The target end user tends to be price-conscious owner- operators and small fleets looking for reliable. dependable tires at an affordable price. They tend to have new and used vehicles. They are looking for a tire recommendation from their local trusted dealer who also has those tires in stock. They tend to have a limited knowledge of tire features and benefits so they are looking for their dealer to make that recommendation for them. Some may and others may not retread their products.”
Two of the tires, the RS20 and LS24, are SmartWay-verified and meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements for outstanding fuel efficiency.
Twenty-six sizes are available now; two more will be added in March 2016 for a total of 28 sizes. There are six tread designs:
- LS24: SmartWay-verified long-haul all-position tire optimized for the steer axle (four sizes);
- LT40: Long-haul and regional trailer tire (four sizes);
- RS20: SmartWay-verified regional all-position tire optimized for the steer axle (seven sizes);
- RD30: Regional and long-haul drive tire (six sizes);
- HS50: On-/off-road all-position tire optimized for the steer axle (four sizes); and
- HD60: On-/off-road drive tire (three sizes).
The company says its DuraShield construction technology provides a unique combination of features for durability, dependability and retreadability. The technology combines pyramidal steel belts, insulating belt edge strips and a heavy gauge inner liner to reduce stress, promote endurance and protect the tire’s casing.
Uniroyal commercial truck tires are backed by a four-year manufacturer’s limited warranty. The new line includes a one-retread limited warranty for all long-haul and regional tires as long as they are retreaded in the company’s Oliver Rubber Co. and Michelin Retread Technology facilities.
“The offer is complete with 28 sizes covering all the different applications and locations in the market with the leading sizes for the marketplace today. In addition, it allows our dealer network to have a multi-brand portfolio for different segments of the market and different needs of end users within the marketplace,” says Murphy. Key competitors for the new Uniroyal tires are Kelly, Dayton and Double Coin tires. ?
