FW & JM Douglas, a mixed beef and arable farming company near Malton, North Yorkshire, has more than doubled tyre life on its JCB 536-60 Agri Loadall after switching to Michelin BibLoad Hard Surface tyres.
The 460/70 R 24 BibLoad fitments have clocked up more than 2,000 hours’ work to date – nearly double that recorded by the Michelin XMCL tyres they replaced – and the company predicts the fitments will run a further 1,000 hours before they need replacing.
John Douglas, Farm Manager at FW & JM Douglas says: “We were looking for a durable, long-lasting and safe tyre that could cope with intensive use on concrete, without compromising in-field performance. After seeking advice from our local Exelagri dealer, Terry Elsey Tyres, it was clear that we’d found the best specification fitment in Michelin’s BibLoad tyres.
“After two years’ hard work on the JCB, we’ve been seriously impressed by how well the tyres have performed. The machine is working more efficiently as it has a better grip on the concrete, and the tyres seem to ‘soak up’ the vibrations, making it more comfortable to operate over long periods,” Mr Douglas adds.
The JCB Loadall is a busy part of FW & JM Douglas’ fleet, which also includes another Loadall, one JCB Fastrac tractor, a John Deere tractor and three Deutz-Fahr tractors. The Loadall has a mixed workload including feeder wagon loading for the farm’s 850-head beef herd and loading the on-site anaerobic digester. FW & JM Douglas also runs a combine and a sprayer, both shod with Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres – a range designed to limit soil compaction, thanks to their ability to run at low pressures in the field.
“We’ve specified Michelin for a number of years, and we opt for Michelin tyres wherever possible – particularly for our heavier machines in the field. The Ultraflex range, and now our BibLoad Hard Surface tyres, offer a fantastic return on our investment,” Mr Douglas says.
Michelin BibLoad Hard Surface tyres are designed for work on hard surfaces, whether dry, wet or greasy, and feature a unique diamond-shaped tread block. Resistance to wear-and-tear is enhanced by the tread and shoulder blocks, while the tyres’ longevity is the result of an increased ground contact patch of 44 per cent, compared to the equivalent XMCL tyres.
With 12 bevelled edges to each diamond-shaped block, greater transverse grip is provided on slippery ground, and mud and debris can be cleaned quicker from the tread grooves. Operator comfort is enhanced by the 96 tread blocks, which come into contact with the ground in an offset fashion, rather than simultaneously, reducing vibration.
Terry Elsey Tyres has supported FW & JM Douglas’ operations with expert tyre advice for more than three decades. As part of Michelin’s Exelagri dealer partnership programme, the company is certified as having all the expertise required to ensure FW & JM Douglas gets maximum performance from its agricultural tyres. The Malton-based dealership covers the whole of North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and has 15 employees, five of whom specialise in agricultural fitments.
FW & JM Douglas, which specialises in beef finishing, was established more than 100 years ago, and farms 1,000 acres around Malton, much of which has been in the Douglas family for generations. The company also farms arable crops, and runs an anaerobic digestion plant at its home farm.
For more information about the range of Michelin farm tyres available visit http://agricultural.michelin.co.uk .
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Michelin , the leading tyre company, is dedicated to sustainably improving the mobility of goods and people by manufacturing, distributing and marketing tyres for every type of vehicle. It also offers innovative business support services, digital mobility services and publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 170 countries, has 112,300 employees and operates 68 production plants in 17 countries. The Group also has a Technology Centre, responsible for research and development, with operations in Europe, North America and Asia. (www.michelin.com)
For further press information please contact:
David Johnson, Michelin Press Office
Tel: + 44 (0) 1782 402341 Email: d.johnson@michelin.com
Andy Hemphill or Beth Laws, Garnett Keeler PR, Inver House, 37-39 Pound Street,
Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3PG
Tel: +44 (0)20 8647 4467 Fax: +44 (0)20 8544 4711 E-mail: andy.hemphill@garnettkeeler.com orbeth.laws@garnettkeeler.com
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