LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Pirelli Tire North America is adding a second-tier associate brand, Formula, to its truck tire portfolio as it begins to roll out its commercial tire range to customers in the U.S. and Canada.
The Formula brand will complement the Pirelli brand as a value-priced Tier II offering, Pirelli said at the start of the Mid America Trucking Show (MATS), which runs through March 25 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.
Pirelli is exhibiting under the TP Commercial Solutions L.L.C. sales and marketing entity that will handle the firm's radial truck, agricultural and OTR tire lines.
TP is showing a range of Pirelli- and Formula-brand products at MATS that have been undergoing a rigorous research, development and testing process for the past year with multiple fleets in multiple applications to develop tires for the specific needs of the U.S. market, according to Clif Armstrong, president, TP Commercial Solutions.
Among the products being launched are the Pentathlon — Pirelli's premium long-haul product family in the U.S./Canada — G:85 on-/off-road line and FH:01 Motor Coach for buses.
Specific products being shown at MATS include:
Pentathlon D — a premium long-haul drive tire that is SmartWay verified. As the name connotes, Pirelli said, this tire has five distinct areas that distinguish it: high mileage, energy efficiency, even wear, high traction and retreadability.