Increase Crop Yield and Profits with Michelin Ultraflex Technology
While the first documented use of pneumatic tires for farming in the United States was in the 1870s, it wasn’t until after the turn of the century for the concept to really start growing. By 1935, approximately 14% of tractors sold in the US were equipped with pneumatic tires. That number inflated to 43% by 1937 and nearly 100% by 1950.
Even with pneumatic tires dominating the market for well over 60 years, the technology continues to improve. The current generation of agriculture tires are impressive feats of engineering that utilize complex components for highly efficient tires capable of carrying more weight while leaving a lighter impact on the terrain than ever before.
“Each application type is specifically designed to meet the conditions for that tire. A VF sprayer tire is built for heavy loads with lower air pressures than a standard tire of the same size. A VF tire will carry 40% more load at the same PSI as a standard of same size” says Ed Biederman, Commercial Sales Director of Bauer Built. “The tires are designed for productivity, efficiency, profitability and better crop yield.”
Compaction from tractor tires is incredibly detrimental to the development of plants and microbial life that are essential to producing high crop yields. Furthermore, this field damage also negatively affects water drainage. With up to 85% of the field being contacted by tractor and applicator tires during the growing cycle, it is imperative to utilize high performance tires to maximize profitability. Michelin Ultraflex technologies protect soil properties with a larger footprint that decrease compaction and rutting. By allowing air and water to penetrate the soil more freely, crop yield and profitability are dramatically improved.
Michelin Ultraflex technology increases productivity by allowing extremely heavy loads to be transported at lower pressure than standard rated sized tires. This significantly reduced soil compaction and eliminates the need for costly and lengthy decompaction processes and further reduces operating costs, increases crop yield, and improves profitability. An independent study conducted by Harper Adams University examined the effects of tractor tires on soil compaction and the corresponding crop yields. In the end, Michelin Ultraflex tires proved to reduce soil compaction and improve crop yields by 4%. It’s no wonder that the leading sprayer manufacturers such as John Deere, Ag-Chem, CNH, and many others trust and rely on Michelin Ultraflex technology.
Michelin has been leading the way in the development of agriculture tires. In the early 2000s, Michelin unveiled a line of high performance tires that later became known around the industry as increased flexion, or IF, tires. These IF tires utilize flexible sidewalls to increase load carrying capacity with reduced soil compaction.
Building on this groundbreaking invention, Michelin further improved the technology to create very high flexion, or VF, tires. It didn’t take long for other tire manufacturers to follow along and develop their own brands of IF and VR tires. Even so, Michelin has maintained its industry leading position and stands out as the most reputable name in agriculture tires.
Michelin engineers have been improving agricultural performance with its radial technology for nearly 70 years. These advancements have been applied to everything from motorbikes to planes and have even left tracks on the moon!
Visit us online for more tips on general tire maintenance and other premium services.
Categories: Bauer Built Blog, AG, Industrial & OTR Tire Tips
