Fri September 9 12:58 pm 2016 in categories Product news, Company news
Nokian Tyres launches new commercial-grade, off-road Rockproof tire
Available to consumers in North America and Europe in early 2017
Colchester, VT - Nokian Tyres today announced its Rockproof tire line offering extreme durability for professional driving and off-road enthusiasts. Designed for light trucks and SUVs, the Nokian Rockproof provides optimal performance in quarries, forests and mining areas. This sturdy new tire is a tireless workhorse with a thoroughbred mining compound that can handle even unexpected impacts during demanding off-road use.
Developed in cooperation with Nokian Heavy Tyres, the new cut-resistant Nokian Rockproof Hybrid tread compound and aggressive tread pattern provide excellent resistance in rough off-road conditions. The tire seamlessly combines the special durability of heavy machine tires with the comfort of passenger car tires.
Tested by professionals at mines and quarries, the Rockproof offers precise handling and longer service life
For the past few months, Logging Operator Tom Brain of Dyer Logging put the Nokian Rockproof tires through rigorous, real world testing in the Canadian Rockies of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Brain’s Ford F-350 4x4 was outfitted with the Rockproof tires and put to work in the challenging terrain of forestry logging sites and roads consisting mostly of shot rock.
“Nokian Rockproof tires have outlasted all the other brands we’ve had on our truck. We’ve put on roughly 31,000 miles and more than half of that is on gravel,” said Tom Brain, operator at Dyer Logging and Nokian Rockproof professional test driver. “What we found is that these tires have stood up better than anything we’ve had on the last two trucks, by far.”
The optimized tread block support provides more precise handling and stability. Two different side angles and the staggered support on the block sides ensure that the tire’s tread blocks remain firm and that the groove bottoms will not be damaged even during rougher driving. The reinforced upper part of the sidewall provides additional protection against puncture and cut damage caused by sharp rocks.
The stone ejectors at the groove bottoms of this sturdy new tire prevent sharp and jagged stones from attaching to the tread surface and penetrating the tire structure. The stone ejectors improve the tire’s service life and offer additional protection by preventing tire body damage, especially on uneven terrain.
The Aramid Sidewall technology developed by Nokian Tyres offers a new type of durability and protection for demanding driving conditions. The tire’s sidewall structure contains extremely strong aramid fibre. The fibre reinforces the sidewall, making it more resistant to impacts and cuts that could otherwise easily damage it. Sidewall damage usually requires fitting a replacement tire. Aramid fibre is also utilized by the aerospace and defence industries.
“Off-road driving and the toughest professional use require extreme durability from tires, and puncture protection in particular. Under these conditions, tires may sometimes have unpleasantly short service lives. Accidental damage causes a lot of additional costs and tire changes result in additional work. The tire has excellent cut resistance due to the tread compound that was developed for use in mines. The tire’s strong structure and aramid sidewalls protect the tire against damage from the sides. This product has been developed for improving the efficiency of demanding professional use,” said Olli Seppälä, Product Development Manager for Nokian Tyres.
Sizing and specifications
The speed rating of this new tire is Q (up to 99 mph) and the size selection in Europe covers 8 sizes and in North America 13 sizes. Tire sizes in Europe from LT225/75 R16 up to LT315/0 R17. New Nokian Rockproof will be available to consumers in early 2017.
Sizes available in North America
LT245/75 R 16
LT225/75 R 16
LT285/75 R 16
LT265/75 R 16
LT315/70 R 17
LT285/70 R 17
LT265/70 R 17
LT245/70 R 17
LT245/75 R 17
LT235/80 R 17
LT275/65 R 18
LT275/70 R 18
LT275/65 R 20
The unique, red Rockproof logo of this new tire is located on the sidewall. The logo will initially be available in the size 315/70R17 and may possibly be added to other sizes later.
About Nokian Tyres
Nokian Tyres is the world's northernmost tire manufacturer. The company promotes and facilitates safe driving in demanding conditions. It supplies innovative tyres for cars, trucks and special heavy machinery mainly in areas with special challenges on tyre performance: snow, forests and harsh driving conditions in different seasons. Nokian Tyres’ product development is consistently aiming for sustainable solutions for safety and the environment, taking into account the whole life cycle of the tyre. A part of the Nokian Tyres group, the tyre chain Vianor has 1,475 outlets in 26 countries. In 2015, Nokian Tyres had approximately 4,400 employees and net sales of approximately $2.1 billion.
About Nokian Heavy Tyres
Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd is part of the Nokian Tyres plc group. Nokian Heavy Tyres’ product range includes forestry machine tyres, special tyres for agricultural machines and tyres for machinery used in different locations, such as harbours and terminals, underground mines, earth-moving and road maintenance.
Further information:
Hans Dyhman, director of marketing, Nokian Tyres North America [email protected]
www.nokiantires.com
Nokian Tyres, Inc. / Nokian Tyres Canada Inc.
P.O. Box 623
Essex Junction, VT 05453
1-800-565-2525
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nokian_Tyres_NA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/NokianTires
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NokianTiresNA
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/116952652773953497604/posts