Bridgestone matches retreads with truck tires

March 27, 2012

Bridgestone Commercial Solutions Group has matched up its Bridgestone Ecopia truck tire line with complementary Bandag FuelTech treads.

There are five new tires in the Bridgestone Ecopia line for the steer, drive and trailer positions; the four new tread designs in the Bandag FuelTech line are for the drive and trailer tires.

“We’ve created a total solution for our customers that didn’t shortchange fuel economy for tread wear or durability,” says Scott Damon, vice president of marketing. "To do that, we added smarter designs and new technology in our Ecopia products, and implemented technologies that extend the life of an Ecopia casing for our Bandag FuelTech products.

"These changes mean greater fuel savings for our customers that can contribute to a lower cost of ownership over the life of the tires.”

The following technologies offer significant benefits for both Ecopia and FuelTech products.

1. Within the tire tread, Bridgestone’s patented NanoPro-Tech polymer technology, available in all new Ecopia tires, helps control particle movement, which reduces energy loss. That translates into improved fuel economy through lower rolling resistance.

2. Bridgestone's proprietary Fuel Saver Sidewall compound reduces heat generation, which lowers rolling resistance and improves fuel economy.

3. The new IntelliShape sidewall, found in the M710 Ecopia drive radial and R197 Ecopia trailer tire, contain less bead filler volume, which lowers tire weight, improving fuel economy and conserving natural resources.

4. A new Defense Side Groove feature has been incorporated into the R283 Ecopia steer tire, which creates uniform pressure along the footprint at the shoulder and helps extend tread life.

5. A "high rigidity tread pattern" was added to all Ecopia and FuelTech designs to extend wear.

6. The patented Waved Belt design in Greatec Ecopia tires improves durability, contributing to a more retreadable casing, especially when paired with a Bandag FuelTech product. The use of patented Turn-In-Ply technology enhances durability and retreadability over the life of the casing.

The B710 FuelTech drive and B197 FuelTech trailer retreads complement the new drive and trailer Ecopia tires. For users of wide-base truck tires, Bandag B835 FuelTech and B135 FuelTech retreads are based on the new Bridgestone Greatec M835 Ecopia drive and Greatec R135 Ecopia trailer radials.

Customers can compute their potential savings with this tire solution using an online calculator at ecopiatrucktires.com.

“The Ecopia line is Bridgestone’s answer to the bottom line demands of fleets and drivers who want to reduce their total cost of tire ownership and meet the growing demands for more environmentally-friendly solutions,” adds Damon.