Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/328077
49 www.moderntiredealer.com By Bob Ulrich O ne of the largest booths at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) was the TBC Corp. booth, which featured three truck tire brands: Sumitomo, Sailun and the new DynaCargo. Te three brands give the company a strong presence in the replacement truck tire segment, and a full line in every sense of the phrase, from tier to axle position and application. Tat includes wide-base and fuel-efcient tires. Between the two of them, Sailun and Sumitomo account for 3% of the domestic replace- ment market, according to Modern Tire Dealer statis- tics. Tat should increase with the introduction of DynaCargo, an entry-level value brand. Bill Dashiell, vice presi- dent of product marketing, says the line should not cannibalize Sumitomo or Sailun sales because each product ofers dis- tinct features, benefts and price points. "DynaCargo is in the process of releasing two designs as SmartWay veri- fed, yet the line is simply for the guy who is looking for the lowest cost of entry for a replacement tire," says Dashiell. "It is a full line, too, with everything from a decoupling groove steer tire to a new 385/65R22.5 mixed service wide-base tire." A size 425/65R22.5 wide-base tire will be available in the fourth quarter. 'High value' Te next generation Sailun S606 EFT (for Environmentally Friendly Technology) is SmartWay-verifed. Dashiell says the new premium all-position steer tire competes against brands such as Hercules and Double Coin in the upper Tier Tree segment. However, it is priced with mid- to lower Tier Tree tires. Available in six sizes, it features the following: • a 22/32-inch tread depth; • extra-wide and square shoulders with built-in sipes for stability and traction in all weather conditions; and • interlocking symmetrical tread blocks that promote long, even wear and a full contact footprint. To complement the S606 EFT, TBC introduced the Sailun S665 EFT all-position tire. Also SmartWay verified, it is designed for the regional and urban markets and targets the "mid-value segment," says Dashiell. Te Sailun S665 has an 18/32-inch tread depth and features a fve-rib design with blading and siping. Te solid shoulder helps prevent damage in tough urban applications. TBC markets Sailun as a high-value product. Sumitomo, an aggressively positioned Tier Two truck tire, is marketed as TBC's optimized tire for the best cost-per-mile. Sumitomo and Sailun have multiple cap warranties. Dyna- Cargo has a one-cap warranty. ■ Mid-America Trucking Show Value, high value, optimal value TBC's brand strategy keys on performance and price The SmartWay-verifed Sailun S665 EFT is available in six sizes. "We want to give dealers a compelling reason why they should buy our truck tires," says TBC's Bill Dashiell. "The combination of price and performance are very impor- tant. People want value."