Michelin expands capacity for X One wide truck tyres

Spartanburg, South Carolina--Michelin North American Inc. has expanded output of X One wide single truck tyres, adding a dedicated production line for the product at its Spartanburg plant.

Michelin said the expansion is being undertaken to meet demand from its independent truck tyre dealers, travel plazas and fleets.

X One wide single tyres are designed to replace dual tyres on the drive axles of trucks and on trailers, offering "significant" weight and fuel savings, Michelin said. The company has been selling the product in North America for about five years, and Michelin claims thousands of trucking fleets and individual owner/operators now are using them.

Michelin's truck tyre dealer network includes more than 1100 commercial dealers and more than 160 travel plazas throughout the US. In addition, tyres produced on the line will be used to meet the needs of fleets requesting X One wide single tyres as original equipment on their new trucks and trailers.

At the same time, Michelin Retread Technologies Inc. is investing in moulds to increase capacity for precured tread rubber for the wide singles.

From Rubber & Plastics News