Omni expanding Timberland, Radar ranges (Update)

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Oct. 12, 2015) — Importer/wholesale distributor Omni United USA is expanding the scope of its Timberland SUV/light truck tire brand by adding an all-terrain light truck version of the brand that it's cross-promoting with outdoor shoe brand Timberland L.L.C., along with increasing the size range of the Timberland Cross SUV line.

Omni United also is upgrading its Radar Renegade M/T light truck line, incorporating design features gleaned from experience in off-road racing into the new R7 line, which Omni said is targeted at the serious off-road enthusiast.

Launched at the 2014 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show, the Timberland brand is produced by Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. and is tied to an initiative to ensure the tires are recycled back into Timberland shoe soles.

Omni United is rolling out the Timberland A/T — which the company said is designed to deliver genuine off-road traction without sacrificing on-road comfort — in 30 sizes and backing it with a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. Omni United credits features such as stabilizer ribs between the large tread blocks and beveled block points for helping to create the tire's “balanced” on- and off-highway performance.

The Timberland A/T's sizes start at 31x10.50R15LT and range up to LT275/65R20.

At the same time, Omni is adding 15 sizes to the Timberland Cross range launched last year, expanding it to 35 sizes. The size range now starts at 215/70R16 and scales up to 275/60R20; suggested retail pricing ranges from $174 to $299.

The tire is available in both blackwall and raised outline white lettering and is backed by a 65,000-mile warranty, the distributor said. Suggested retail prices range from $142 to $229.

Omni United said the target market for Timberland-brand tires is the same audience that knows and buys Timberland footwear, apparel and accessories — that is, active people who enjoy spending time outdoors and connecting with friends and family.

“We want to demystify tires for this audience, and bring some of the excitement and sizzle of the fashion industry to our category,” said G.S. Sareen, Founder and CEO of Singapore-based Omni United Pte. Ltd., the purveyor of the Timberland brand.

The Radar Renegade R7 M/T will complement the Renegade R5 M/T, which launched in 2013 and has been Omni United's tire of choice for competition in off-road racing.

Among the tire's “race-inspired” features is a raised nub stone ejector between the tread blocks that deforms when the tire is rotating to help eject stones that otherwise would be trapped. The R7 also features a third reinforcing ply that helps strengthen and stiffen the tire to reduce the risk of punctures in the sidewall and tread areas and upper shoulder side-biters for added traction in loose surface conditions.

Omni United will launch the R7 M/T with 14 raised outline white letter LT sizes — ranging from LT245/75R16 to 35x12.5050R20LT — with 16 more sizes, including a pair of 22-inch rim diameters, to follow in 2016.

The R7 is manufactured by Dongying Zhongyi Rubber Co. Ltd. of Dongying, China, according to the tire's DOT code, XU.

Omni United also disclosed that its Timberland tire program was recognized recently at Ethical Corp.'s Sixth Annual Responsible Business Awards ceremony as runner-up for the “Sustainable Innovation” category, which recognizes efforts of incorporating sustainability into commercial objectives or a business challenge.

The awarding judges noted: “Timberland has launched a highly innovative partnership into a new commercial segment with sustainability underlying its business venture.”