Bridgestone

Bridgestone Brings World’s Largest Tyres to Europe

For the first time, Bridgestone has brought the world’s largest tyre to European shores.

Earlier this month, six of Bridgestone’s whopping 4.02 metre diameter size 59/80 R63 off-road tyres were unloaded at Gothenburg, Sweden and then transported a further 1,500 kilometres north to the Aitik open-pit copper mine in Lapland.

There they will be mounted on an electric-drive model of one of the world’s largest vehicles: the Caterpillar 795F mining truck, which weighs 570 tons fully loaded.

The Bridgestone VRPS (V-Steel Rock Premium Service) off-road tyre is designed to support loads of more than 100 tons and operate in the roughest conditions.

It is manufactured at Bridgestone’s specialist Kitakyushu off-road tyre plant in Japan.

“Although tyre size 59/80 R63 is used in open mines in the Americas and Australia, this is the first time that these Bridgestone’s tyres have been used in Europe,” said Mats-Johan Adner, managing director of Bridgestone Sweden.

“We are proud that Bridgestone has been selected for one of the world’s first and largest electric-drive mining trucks.”

With a diameter well over twice the height of the average person, a width of 1.47 metres and weight of 5.75 tons, the tyres require special handling and logistics.

Capacity at Bridgestone’s Kitakyushu plant is currently being expanded to meet increasing demand for large and ultra-large off-road radials, and is expected to reach 130 tons per day in 2013.

The Aitik mine in northern Sweden is one of Europe’s largest copper mines. The mine operator Boliden, a leading European metals company, has ordered a second set of six Bridgestone VRPS in 59/80 R63, due for delivery in September 2011.

Tags: Bridgestone VRPS, Caterpillar 795F mining truck, V-Steel Rock Premium Service