- Wharram and Kay has fitted the latest generation ‘2-in-1’ MICHELIN EvoBib tyres to its new frontline Fendt tractor.
- The crop farming operation has used the EvoBib for several years, reporting reduced soil compaction and improved crop emergence.
York-based Wharram and Kay has converted its new Fendt 728 tractor onto the latest generation of MICHELIN EvoBib tyres, having been hugely impressed with the performance of the previous range of the high-technology fitments.
The MICHELIN EvoBib is the first agricultural tyre on the market specifically designed to be used with Central Tyre Inflation Systems (CTIS), allowing it to obtain excellent performance on the road and in the field due to its adaptive design.
After receiving a SIMA gold medal for innovation when it was first launched in 2017, Michelin introduced a new and improved version of the range last year – offering farmers an ideal ‘2-in-1’ solution.
Wharram and Kay co-owner, Roger Kay, says: “We were first introduced to the EvoBib several years ago and have used them ever since. For seed drilling operations, I believe it is simply the best tyre out there because of the way it can spread the tractor’s weight across the ground and how kind it is on the soil.”
The new MICHELIN EvoBib offers a footprint variation of 47 per cent* between road and field, double that of a VF tyre such as the MICHELIN AxioBib 2 that would have usually been used with a CTIS. The tread design has also been adapted to improve longevity and offer excellent traction capabilities until the end of the tyre’s life.
Additionally, in the new EvoBib the tyre casing is now PFO (Pressure Field Operation) rated, a standard that allows manufacturers to increase the load capacity of their tyres for field use.
Wharram and Kay had the original equipment fitments on its new Fendt replaced with MICHELIN EvoBibs by its local dealer Tanvic Farm Tyres.
It will be used predominantly for seed drilling work in the field, and pulling trailers and machinery from job to job while out on the road.
“The Fendt has a VarioGrip CTIS onboard which inflates and deflates the tyres accordingly,” adds Kay. “We’re looking forward to seeing the impact of this latest version of the EvoBib. On the ones we have used previously there was a massive difference in the contact area on the ground with other VF tyres we’d used, which is so important.
“They really alleviate any soil compaction which meant that the crop emergence was very uniformed, there was no delay in emergence behind the tractor wheelings, for instance, which we had experienced before.”
Established in 1976, Wharram and Kay offers a range of farming and contracting services, managing more than 650 hectares within a nine-mile radius of its base at Providence House, in Crockey Hill.
* Michelin internal test made in Ladoux – France in September 2021, comparing MICHELIN EVOBIB and MICHELIN AXIOBIB 2. Size: VF 710/70 R 42; Load per tyre: 5,300 kg; Road speed: 65 km/h; Field speed: 30 km/h.
About Michelin
Michelin’s ambition is to sustainably improve its customers’ mobility. The leader in the mobility sector, Michelin designs, manufactures, and distributes the tyres best suited to their requirements and uses as well as services and solutions to improve transport efficacy. With its offers Michelin allows its customers to enjoy unique moments when traveling.
Michelin also develops high-technology equipment intended for multiple fields. Based in Clermont-Ferrand, Michelin is present in 175 countries, employs 132,200 people and operates 67 tyre factories that, together, produced approximately 200 million tyres in 2022. (www.michelin.com)
More information on how Michelin assists transport businesses achieve its sustainability goals and run more efficiently can be found at business.michelin.co.uk.
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