BKT prepares to launch 57-inch tires

Balkrishna Industries Limited (BKT), which manufactures tires for a variety of special equipment, has presented a prototype tire with a diameter of 57 inches. The BKT Earthmax SR 468 will be the company's largest tire for rigid dump trucks, with 40.00R57 tire tests scheduled to take place in the coming months.

BKT notes that the prototype should have been made earlier, but was prevented by the coronavirus pandemic, and the new equipment needed to produce tires of this size was installed at a plant in Bhuj, Gujarat, just before the lockdown. Since then, the BKT factories have been temporarily closed to ensure the safety of personnel, but work has now been resumed.

“Despite the pandemic and the challenges it entails, we were able to achieve the impossible and continued to confidently pursue our goal, while ensuring the safety of our employees, who are the company's most valuable asset,” said Rajiv Poddar, Managing Co-Director of BKT. “By developing this oversized 57” tire, which was prototyped with the incredible dedication of our people, we want to send a positive message to the market, our distributors and end users. BKT does not stop developing new products, which helps the company to grow, and in addition, the entire tire sector continues its development. "

BKT President and Chief Technology Officer Dilip Vaidya added that making a prototype 57-inch tire is a very important moment for the company. “We have created a new product that will now undergo extensive testing until we are confident of the highest quality and reliability,” he said. "Only when we are absolutely confident that we have maximized the performance of a new tire will we officially introduce it to the market."

Earthmax SR 468 will be part of Earthmax's broad line of radial tires with an all-steel cord construction for increased durability and resistance to damage. The novelty features a special pattern and rubber compound that has been modified to reduce heat generation, while an optimized tread depth (E-4) helps the tires perform effectively in extreme conditions. Testing of new tires should be completed by the spring of 2021.