Trelleborg Unveils Tire for Rice Farming

Dec. 11, 2019

Rice farmers can turn to Trelleborg Wheel Systems for a tire specificially designed for their use — the 480/80R50 ProgressiveTraction Rice tire.

It's the latest addition to Trelleborg's TM600 line. Ydo Doornbos, North and Central America regional president of Trelleborg Wheel Systems, says, “The planting and harvesting of rice over the last few years has changed dramatically. We set out to develop a product that can be used in all environments, even in significant roading conditions, without sacrificing driver comfort, fuel economy or traction in wet soils.

“We felt if we could accomplish this and still maintain very minimal soil compaction, we would have a product that would help farmers add significant dollars to their bottom line and increase their yield. We believe we have achieved this goal. Rice farmers from Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and South Florida have now started using the new 480/80R50 ProgressiveTraction tire technology and the results have been outstanding.”

Over the past two years as Trelleborg has developed the tire, it has gathered input from Petter Farms, a family-owned 800 acre rice farm in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and farm tire dealer Bobby Henard Tire in Brinkley, Arkansas. Trelleborg says both family-owned companies bring considerable experience —Petter Farms has been in the same family for over 100 years and Bobby Henard Tire has been in business since 1965.

The Petter brothers from Petter Farms talked about their results with the tire in Trelleborg's booth at the 2019 USA Rice Outlook Conference in Little Rock, Ark. The ProgressiveTraction Rice tire was on display on a Greenway John Deere tractor during the conference.