Test drive Bridgestone entered Europe with agricultural tires

They are specially designed to help farmers increase productivity and profitability.

Bridgestone, the world's largest tire and rubber manufacturer, first entered the European agricultural tire market in 2014. This happened with Bridgestone's leading agricultural tires, VT-TRACTOR, which are specifically designed for agricultural use. growers to increase their productivity and profitability while protecting their soil in the future.

VT-TRACTOR tires can:

– work at lower pressure;

- provide more flexibility at lower pressure than standard tires and tires with "increased flexibility";

– installed on regular wheels;

– have a grip that reduces slippage and soil compaction while providing excellent traction;

– Better tractive effort further reduces operating costs by saving fuel on the job.

Thanks to their very high flexibility (VF) and modern traction design, Bridgestone VT-TRACTOR tires can operate at lower pressures and take up more area than standard tires, helping farmers to harvest more crops. to work faster, take on heavier loads and use less fuel while protecting the soil.

Lothar Schmidt, Director Agricultural & Off-Road Tires at Bridgestone Europe, explained Bridgestone's entry into the European agricultural market: “The philosophy behind Bridgestone's new high quality agricultural tires is to strike the perfect balance between agricultural efficiency and environmental awareness. Wednesday. The Bridgestone Soil Care label is a guarantee for tires that enable farmers to work more efficiently and at the same time more sustainably. In this way, we can help farmers achieve higher yields and productivity now and in the future.”

Higher yields with less soil compaction

Thanks to the special profile, the Bridgestone VT-TRACTOR tires provide greater flexibility at lower pressures than standard and "increased flexibility" (IF) tires. This very high flexibility (VF) at lower operating pressures (0,8 bar) leaves a footprint that is 26% larger than the main competitors *, thereby reducing soil compaction and helping to increase yields annually.

NRO technology

In addition to the VF benefits, VT-TRACTOR tires can be fitted to standard rims, which is an added benefit. VF tires generally require wider rims, so new wheels must be purchased when changing from standard tires to VF tires. However, the European Tire and Rim Technical Organization (ETRTO) has introduced a new experimental standard called NRO (Narrow Rim Option), which allows VF tires, which usually require a wider VF rim, to fit onto standard rims *.

* For more information, please read the technical data sheet for the Bridgestone product, which tires carry the NRO mark and the full rim width range that can be used for VT-TRACTOR products.

Better traction for increased performance

Bridgestone VT-TRACTOR tires have a new tread pattern that minimizes slippage and soil compaction, providing excellent traction and therefore better performance. Bridgestone ** tests show that farmers using VT-TRACTOR tires can cultivate almost an entire hectare per day compared to other key market players.

Lower operating costs

The increased tractive effort further reduces operating costs by saving fuel at work. Compared to competitors' tires running at 1,0 bar, Bridgestone VF tires at 0,8 bar provide 36 liters of fuel savings per 50 hectares ***.

Bridgestone VT-TRACTOR tires can carry loads up to 40% heavier than standard tires at the same speed. This means fewer transport cycles on the road, further reducing operating costs.

More benefits

With the Bridgestone VT-TRACTOR, farmers also save time because they do not have to stop and change tire pressures as they leave the field and back. In addition, VT-TRACTOR tires make driving easier and more comfortable, which is an important advantage on a long and tiring day. The more flexible tire sidewall absorbs bumps in the road surface, while the longer traction results in a smoother ride.

Bridgestone's new range targets the growing segment of high quality agricultural tires, targeting large farmers and operators using the latest high-speed vehicles. VT-TRACTOR tires are now available across Europe in sizes from 28 to 42 inches.

Developed by the European Technical Center

The Bridgestone VT-TRACTOR tires have been developed and tested at the Technical Center Europe (TCE) in Rome, Italy - Bridgestone European Development Center and are manufactured exclusively at the Puente San Miguel (PSM) plant in Spain.

TCE plays a leading role in materials research, tire design, prototyping and all forms of indoor testing. In the entire 32 hectare complex, on about 17 square meters of covered area, there are a number of design and development facilities.

The testing capability of TCEs has been further expanded with the introduction of a special drum with a diameter of three meters, which allows testing of any size indoors before field testing. Over 200 tires have been tested to confirm the performance of the VT-TRACTOR (indoor, outdoor and field use).

VT-TRACTOR tires are developed at TCE by the Agricultural Tire Development Group, a team entirely dedicated to agricultural products.

Bridgestone is the world leader in agricultural tires

For decades, Bridgestone has been at the forefront of the agricultural tire segment with its legendary Firestone brand. With many years of experience and good reputation, Firestone is a leading global agricultural tire brand with a strong presence in Europe. A recent update and expansion of the Firestone product range has enabled Bridgestone to meet nearly 95% of the market demand for tractor tires. The new Bridgestone VT-TRACTOR tires meet the needs of the high quality agricultural tire segment.

* Based on internal Bridgestone testing in Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) with sizes IF 600/70 R30 and IF 710/70 R42 (1,2 and 1,0 bar) and VF 600/70 R30 and VF 710/70 R42 (at 1,0 and 0,8 bar) using XSENSORTM pressure imaging technology.

** Based on internal Bridgestone tests conducted in Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) with sizes IF 600/70 R30 and IF 710/70 R42 (at 1,2 and 1,0 bar) and VF 600/70 R30 and VF 710/70 R42 (at 1,0 and 0,8 bar) using a tractor with a tractor brake to simulate the load.

*** Based on internal Bridgestone tests conducted in Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) with sizes IF 600/70 R30 and IF 710/70 R42 (1,2 and 1,0 bar) and VF 600/70 R30 and VF 710/70 R42 (at pressures of 1,0 and 0,8 bar) using the fuel volume measurement method.

For Bridgestone Europe

Bridgestone Sales Italy SRL is the central coordinating unit of the so-called South Region, one of Bridgestone's six sales regions. In addition to Italy, the Southern Trade Region covers 13 other countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Kosovo, Macedonia, Malta, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro, employing a total of 200 employees. In Europe, Bridgestone has 13 employees, a research and development center and 000 factories. Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of tires and other rubber products.

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