Indian OHT specialist BKT is to begin testing of its largest tire manufactured to date, the Earthmax SR 468, designed for use on rigid dump trucks, and has constructed 40.00 R 57 size prototypes for testing purposes.
The company notes that development of the tire has not been the smoothest, as machinery for its manufacturer only reached the company’s plant in Bhuj, India, in January, just before a Covid-19 related lockdown. Owing to the emergency situation the machinery was not immediately installed and only after a temporary shutdown of BKT’s manufacturing facilities did activities finally return to full operation. The plant to produce the 57in tire was commissioned thanks to online help from the manufacturer circumventing problems related to global travel restrictions.
“Despite the pandemic and the extreme difficulties caused by the situation, in BKT we achieved the impossible: going ahead very determinedly but with a similar focus on people, who for us are the company’s real assets,” said Rajiv Poddar, joint managing director of BKT.
“With this Giant 57in tire, the prototype of which has been made thanks to the extraordinary determination of my fellow workers, we wish to send a positive message to the market, to our partner distributors and to our end users. In BKT, research and development into new products, which help the company evolve but also the whole sector, has not stopped. Thanks to enthusiasm and know-how, BKT always finds new ways to grow, even in the most complex situations.”
Dilip Vaidya, president and director of technology at BKT, added, “It is a very important moment, a Giant product has been created which will now be subject to the most rigorous testing up to the spring of 2021, until we are sure we have achieved the highest possible level of quality and reliability, as always. Only when we are absolutely sure we can offer our users the best Earthmax SR 468 possible, will we officially launch the new 57in Giant.”
