Michelin CargoXBib earns Ag Expo award

RED DEER, Alberta (Nov. 15, 2016) — The organizers of Agri-Trade Equipment Expo, held Nov. 9-12 in Red Deer, selected Michelin North America Inc.'s CargoXBib high flotation agricultural tire as one of the three top industry advancements honored.

The Ag Innovations Award honors products that demonstrate unique features and offer significant contributions toward improving the agricultural sector. Judged by a panel of farmers and industry experts, the awards are presented each year to companies that have made groundbreaking contributions to moving agriculture forward.

"Michelin is pleased to receive a 2016 Ag Innovations Award for the CargoXBib, a tire designed to help farmers preserve crop yields, lower fuel consumption, increase tire life and save time," Mike Pantaleo of Michelin Agriculture in Canada said in a news release.

The CargoXBib is designed to protect soil and plants as it works and is the company's first tire designed for trailers and towed machinery using the UltraFelx Technology. It was developed in collaboration with end users and original equipment (OE) manufacturers, Michelin said.

"The agricultural industry relies on continuous innovation that supports profitability, productivity and safety for farmers," Mr. Panteleo said.

According to Michelin, the tire works well with very low pressure, which helps to protect the soil by creating a large footprint to distribute the load and minimize rutting. Its round and solid shoulders are designed to limit plant damage.

The tread pattern offers improved self-cleaning features, greater endurance, better on-road handling and higher speed transport, Michelin claims, adding that it is the first and only implement tire on the market that is compatible with Central Tire Inflation Systems (CTIS).

Michelin first introduced its UltraFlex technology in 2004 with the Xeobib tire. The technology takes into account the ever-increasing power and weight of today's farm machinery and works to make it more efficient, the tire maker said.