Firestone Announces Production Of IF Product Line;Delivery Of First 2 Sizes Planned In 2008
Des Moines, IA (March 13, 2008) – Firestone Agricultural Tire Company (FSAG), a division of Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) today previewed production plans for tires built to a new industry standard that company officials say will “generate performance improvements on a scale with those produced by the switch from bias to radial technology a generation ago.”
The IF standard – IF stands for “Increased Flexion” – was approved by the European Tire Rim Technical Organization two years ago and has received experimental approval from the North American Tire and Rim Association.
Tom Rodgers, Marketing Manager for FSAG said the increased size and power of modern four-wheel-drive agricultural tractors, which are increasingly used in pull-type scraper applications, are driving adoption of the IF standard.
“These new, higher-horsepower machines require more ballast to put that increased power to the ground,” said Rodgers. “Tire technology and performance need to grow with the equipment, and Firestone is adopting the new IF standard to meet that need.”
End-User Benefits
The real beneficiary of tires built to the IF standard is the end-user, who will
see a host of advantages over existing products. The 20 percent increase in load
capacity afforded by the IF standard will allow the operator to either carry more load
at the same inflation pressure, or the same load at a lower pressure.
“In the construction industry, for example, that means the operator can add ballast to a scraper tractor without having to raise air pressure in the tires,” Rodgers explained. “Or the lower inflation pressures can provide improved flotation in softer soils such as those with high sand content.”
Other Firestone IF tire benefits include:
- Increased traction.
- Larger footprint and less soil compaction.
- Decreased cycle times for greater productivity.
- Higher operating efficiencies such as reduced fuel consumption per cubic yard of material moved.
- Can be mounted on existing wheels.
- For use in both new and used equipment applications.
First Two IF Sizes Coming Soon
Firestone will deliver its first two IF tires to market later this year: the Radial
All Traction DT IF710/70R42 (Load Index) 179B and the Radial All Traction
DT IF710/70R38 (Load Index) 178B. “Our Radial All Traction DT is accepted in
the construction market for its performance and overall durability,” Rogers said.
“Advancing these two sizes to the IF standard will take the productivity of this tire to
a new level.”
More information about the Firestone line of IF tires will be available in he coming months from dealers and on the Web at www.firestoneconstructs.com.
About Firestone Agricultural Tire:
Firestone Agricultural Tire Company (FSAG), a division of Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, is the largest manufacturer of agricultural tires in North Amercia. FSAG’s Des Moines, Iowa, facility is located in the heart of America’s farm belt and is a leading supplier of the North American original equipment market and supplies about 40 percent of the replacement market with agricultural tires. FSAG also has approximately 50 percent of the market in harvesting and planting machinery. The FSAG testing facility, located in Columbiana, Ohio, is the only facility in the world solely dedicated to the development and testing of agricultural tires. In addition to agricultural tires, FSAG markets and sells forestry, ATV and construction tires.
About Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off the road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America.\