LAS VEGAS, June 10, 2009 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has introduced the G289 WHA, a new line of waste hauling tires at Waste Expo in Las Vegas.

“Today, we’ve launched a waste-hauling tire that we believe sets a new standard when it comes to productivity and cost reductions,” said Donn Kramer, Goodyear’s director of commercial tire marketing.  “The G289 WHA was built from the ground up to be a performance leader.”

Key performance features of the G289 WHA include:

·         A wider, deeper 24/32” tread helps to extend tread life in waste haul applications.

·         Waste haul compound significantly enhances tread life and scrub resistance for long tread life and retreadability.

·         Distinct sidewall protector rib helps resist sidewall scuffing in high-scrub waste haul applications to enhance casing life.

·         Shoulder design helps direct pressure away from the outer tread for uniform treadwear.

·         Innovative sealant inside the tire quickly seals tread punctures (up to 1/4-inch in diameter in the repairable area of the tread; it does not seal sidewall punctures) to help minimize downtime and provide many miles to removal.

The G289 WHA fits the vast majority of waste haul vehicles through its 315/80R22.5 size, in load range L, at 10,200 pound capacity.  It joins Goodyear’s G287 MSA and G288 MSA to offer a full suite of tires for front and rear loaders, plus transfer-dump operations.    

Goodyear’s full line of waste haul tires can be ordered with Goodyear’s DuraSeal Technology, the world’s first built-in tire sealant for commercial truck applications.  A gel-like rubber compound instantly seals punctures up to 1/4-inch in diameter in the repairable area of the tread.  It does not seal sidewall punctures.

According to Kramer, Goodyear’s DuraSeal Technology offers a clear cost savings to fleets. “Fleets can eliminate the costs of application, cleaning out the old sealant, re-applying new sealant, and disposal,” he said.  “Plus, there’s no mess, wheel cleaning or need to find the right retreader. Tires can last longer, and time-to-replacement can be extended.  With tire costs in the top three expenditures for fleets, just think what this technology can do for the fleet’s bottom line.”

While the G289 WHA can be ordered with DuraSeal Technology, it comes standard with toughness and long miles to removal.  “Innovative compounds and sidewall scuff protectors were developed to help handle constant scrubbing and curbing, which pose challenges to many waste haul tires,” said Kramer.

“If you compare this product against competitive waste haul tires, you’ll see we’ve taken extra steps for a strong sidewall and casing,” he said.  “This creates the potential for multiple retreads.”

To keep cost-per-mile low, the G289 WHA features an industry-leading tread depth of 24/32-inch.  Coupled with special compounding and a wider footprint, weight on the tire is evenly dispersed.  This combination helps provide the G289 WHA with excellent miles to removal. 

Another feature of the tire is its all-season traction on wet, snowy or dry roads in stop/start waste haul applications – derived from four wide circumferential grooves in the tread area.

While the tire is primarily intended for urban settings in front and rear loader applications, according to Kramer, it has to be versatile enough to be used in highway conditions.  “While waste-haulers spend a majority of their time in neighborhoods, or at transfer waste sites, they do run freeway miles en route to the landfills,” he said.

With Goodyear’s strong casing, which features four all-steel tensile belts, waste haulers have a strong foundation for retreading.  Along with the G289 WHA, comes its retread mate, the G289 Retread.

DuraSeal Technology Helps Cut Costs for Waste Haulers

When the G289 WHA is ordered with Goodyear’s DuraSeal Technology, the tire’s puncture-resistance can help waste haulers maximize uptime.   

According to Kramer, a Goodyear survey revealed that refuse fleets with 50 trucks typically receive 102 tire-related service calls per month.  It found that 69 percent of those calls can be attributed to tire punctures and each call cost the fleets $170, or more than $143,000 per year.

“Each fleet and operation is different, but for those fleets suffering from flats due to nails and other debris, they can enjoy a new degree of confidence with our G289 WHA with DuraSeal Technology,” said Kramer.  “A tire with DuraSeal Technology can be retreaded.  Because the sealant is built-in, the gel-like compound stays intact through the retreading process.”

Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems offers a complete portfolio of products and services to the trucking and waste haul industries, including a full range of original equipment and replacement tires and retreads.  In addition, the company offers fleetHQ business solutions to fleets of all sizes.  This includes a nationwide network of servicing dealers, the 24/7 fleetHQ Solution Center , national programs, tire management tools, on-line information access and business problem-solving for tomorrow’s trucking fleets.  For more information, go to http://www.goodyear.com/truck.