BFGoodrich Launches Two All-Terrain Tires to Meet Strong Demand
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — BFGoodrich has begun production of two new all-terrain commercial truck tires aimed at the surging oil and gas, construction and logging sectors — calling the Cross Control S and Cross Control D tires its most significant innovations for commercial truck tires in nearly two decades.
The tires are available now in the U.S. and Canada through the company’s network of independent dealers. The company made its announcement at the Mid-America Trucking Show.
Murphy by John Sommers II for Transport Topics
“The fact of the matter is that we haven’t had a lot of news around the brand over about the last 20 years. But that changes today,” said Adam Murphy, vice president of B2B marketing for BFGoodrich commercial truck tires.
Demand for the tire is already running ahead of the launch quantity the tire maker initially produced, “so there are reinforcements coming behind that,” Murphy told Transport Topics.
“The reality, in all transparency, is that some of the biggest supply challenges are in these really difficult-application, wider, larger kinds of tires. So it does require an incremental level of priority in our overall production to make sure we are satisfying demand for wide-base and construction kinds of offers,” he said.
Those tires are difficult to produce and require unique equipment, he added.
The BFGoodrich Cross Control S all-terrain steer/all-position tire is guaranteed to provide 20% more mileage on the wide-base iteration of the BFGoodrich Cross Control S than with the BFGoodrich ST565TM wide-base tire, according to the Greenville, S.C.-based company.
The increase in mileage is compared with the BFGoodrich ST565 wide base tire.
The tire’s serrated shoulder with staggered rib blocks is designed to assist with maneuverability in soft soils and snow conditions. The aggressive ribbed tread design is meant to provide traction in challenging conditions without sacrificing handling or ride comfort.
The Cross Control S tire is available in sizes 11R22.5 and 11R24.5 load range H, 315/80R22.5 load range L, and starting in May will be available in sizes 385/65R22.5 load range J and 425/65R22.5 load range L.
The Cross Control D is designed with 25% more lugs on the road to grip snow, mud and dirt.
The company reported this claim is based on a footprint study of a Yokohama LY053 tire and a BFGoodrich Cross Control D tire in size 11R24.5 LRH machine-buffed to about 10mm of remaining tread. Tires were measured under a load of 3,250 kg with an internal pressure of about 8.3 bar. Actual results may vary.
Also, the D has a 75% wider protector ply against road hazards and penetrations. The company reported this claim based on a comparison with the Yokohama MY507 in size 11R24.5 LRH.
Murphy said the primary competitors for the BFGoodrich brand are tires from Yokohama Tire Corp. and Firestone, a unit of Bridgestone Americas’ Tire Operations.
BFGoodrich’s two new tires are going to command between a 5% to 10% premium compared with its two main competitors, Murphy said.
“But they won’t be priced at the level of a Michelin or a Bridgestone [similar tire], the most premium brands in the market,” he said.
The BFGoodrich Tires brand is a unit of Michelin North America Inc.
