The global off-highway equipment tyre market continues to seek sustainable growth.
In 2024, BKT consolidated and strengthened its position as one of the leading off-highway tyre manufacturers. It maintained a strong presence in the world’s major markets while also paving the way for new opportunities in other countries, not least through the appointment of two new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) managers for Asia-Pacific, Rishi Raj Singh, and Africa and the Middle East, Aniruddha Pandit.
BKT has also made further strides in innovation and technology through its research and development (R&D) to create more innovative products and sustainability initiatives that add to BKT’s position within the tyre industry.
A BKT spokesperson said the company’s EARTHMAX SR 50 and SR 53 lines, sized 26.5 R 25 and 29.5 R 25, respectively for loaders performing loading and grading operations in quarries or, as in the case of the EARTHMAX SR 53, for dozers and low-profile dump trucks, remain popular.
Both are All-Steel radial tyres designed to be fitted on vehicles operating in harsh conditions in rocky environments, including tasks in underground mines and at demolition sites. Their special compound is particularly cut-resistant, ensuring greater durability.
The spokesperson said BKT’s ROCK GRIP E4 tyre in the sizes 18.00 R 33 and 24.00 R 35 for rigid dump trucks is popular choice among quarry customer for on-site hauling activities. For use in tighter quarries and on more winding routes mainly fitted on articulated dump trucks, there are the EARTHMAX SR 41 tyres, typically in sizes 26.5 R 25 and 29.5 R 25 (E-4), which are ideal for transport, loading and levelling applications. The latter provides excellent puncture resistance and prolonged durability thanks to its steel construction and unique block design.
Tyre employment varies mainly according to the terrain type and conditions, which aligns with BKT’s determination to respond to the specific needs of customers and operators.
“BKT remains focused on developing innovative, high-performance solutions as a response to the increasingly challenging industry needs, typically characterised by demanding terrains and complex operations,” the BKT spokesperson told Aggregates Business.
“BKT’s product portfolio, comprising more than 3600 SKUs [stock keeping units], includes purposefully designed and engineered tyres to meet such challenges. These are, therefore, highly durable and resilient to curb the potential risk of punctures or tears.
“This is exactly what BKT will leverage at bauma 2025 [Munich April 7–13], showcasing solutions suitable for various quarry applications, such as high-load capacity tyres or special tread patterns to provide greater traction and stability. In other words, it is a blend of innovations bringing together advanced performance, sustainability and digital technologies, thus responding to the needs of an increasingly competitive technological market.
“At AGG-1 [St. Louis March 25–27], we will showcase BKT’s EARTHMAX range of products at booth 408. Visitors will have the chance to discover EARTHMAX SR 45 M, an All-Steel radial tyre specially designed for rigid haul trucks; EARTHMAX SR 49, engineered for loaders and dozers operating in mining applications, loading and dozing activities. Finally, EARTHMAX SR 51 is ideal for severe operations requiring added cut resistance, sidewall protection and exceptional traction.”
The BKT spokesperson said the firm’s tyres have proven to be a game-changer for the US aggregates industry, performing in some of the most demanding environments. Known for being high quality, durable and reliable, the company’s tyres help operators maximise efficiency and reduce downtime in quarries and construction sites.
BKT plans to remain a trusted partner for tyre solutions as the industry evolves.
“Generally speaking, in 2024 the US tyre industry saw a fairly stable direction, although being influenced by a number of different factors according to the specific sector,” the BKT spokesperson said.
“As far as the market for mining tyres is concerned, forecasts suggest a modest growth in 2025, mostly driven by an increase in mining operations in fields such as aggregates, metals and coal, which will contribute to a greater demand for specialised tyres that can handle rough terrain and heavy loads.
“BKT’s presence in this market will remain strong, in line with this trend.”
At its carbon black plant in Bhuj, Gujarat, India, BKT has initiated a pallet recycling programme to enhance sustainability and resource management.
The company has significantly reduced plastic consumption and procurement needs by reusing and recycling plastic pallets for storing carbon bags.
BKT’s focus on sustainable practices is evident through this initiative, which supports the circular economy and reduces plastic waste, improving operational efficiency and contributing to environmental conservation. As a responsible tyre manufacturer, BKT is the sole company in the sector with an in-house carbon black production facility able to fulfil 100 per cent of this requirement, ensuring self-sufficiency in this critical raw material.
“For the future, we have very ambitious growth and expansion plans to strengthen our extensive presence in the agricultural, industrial and earthmoving sectors,” the BKT spokesperson said. “We have started to focus on expanding the company in the OEM channel, leveraging a well-defined plan that is apt for exploring new markets and new business and development opportunities.
Recent years have seen BKT has adopt a holistic approach towards sustainability, extending its commitment to sustainable innovation and social and corporate environmental responsibility. This has brought the company in line with the international standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), also verified by Bureau Veritas.
The company spokesperson said BKT has reduced non-renewable electricity consumption by 26 per cent and increased the use of renewable energy by six per cent, which has cut 28,000 tonnes of CO2. Moreover, 99 per cent of the waste generated has been recycled or reused, resulting in a 33 per cent increase in recycling and a 22 per cent reduction in plastic waste. Twenty-five thousand new trees were planted, while at the same time, water offtake in water-stressed areas has been reduced by 43 per cent. In addition, more than 91,000 tonnes of renewable materials have been used in BKT’s main products.
“This commitment, along with product quality and sustainability, enables BKT to compete at the top level in both the original equipment and after-market,” the company said.
BKT currently has a network of trusted distribution partners in 160 countries worldwide, all of whom help the business pursue its innovation plans following customer and end-user demands.
“Over the next 10 years, the off-highway tyre industry will experience significant evolutions in materials used and integrated technologies due to introducing new solutions related to digitisation and artificial intelligence,” the company spokesperson said.
“In particular, material research and innovation will continue to focus on increasing strength, durability and performance under extreme and complex usage conditions, as we can find in the mining and quarrying industries. Using recycled materials and greener processes will increasingly be a priority, reflecting corporate [and global] trends toward enhanced sustainability.
“Digitisation will likewise play a crucial role with the arrival of real-time monitoring systems on the market, enabling more efficient tyre management through sensors and the IoT [Internet of Things]. Collecting real-time data on pressure, temperature, wear status and other variables will provide operators with accurate information on tyre status, improving fleet management and optimising costs.”
Triangle Tyre, one of the biggest Chinese on- and off-the-road (OTR) tyre manufacturers and the world’s fourth-largest OTR tyre maker, told Aggregates Business that it expects a very busy 2025 as it looks to continue building on its strong global market presence.
Triangle Tyre will launch its first-ever Tire Performance Monitoring System, known as TPMS, at the world’s biggest off-highway machinery and linked technology showcase.
The company, which has its headquarters in Weihai, in China’s Shandong province and whose European subsidiary is based in Milan, Italy, is unveiling 11 new products for OTR customers in Q1 ahead of its appearance at bauma 2025.
Triangle Tyre’s appearance at bauma 2025 continues its long association with key global off-highway equipment industry exhibitions, including CONEXPO/CON-AGG (Las Vegas), MINExpo (Las Vegas), Intermat (Paris) and bauma China (Shanghai).
Triangle Tyre’s OTR director for Europe, Luca Mai, and marketing director for Europe, Angelo Giannangeli, estimated that the company has a double-digit market share in the European OTR market. It offers a range of options, including a 63-inch rim and a 1–4-star (load capacity) rated OTR tyre range. Triangle manufactures tyres for wheeled loaders, articulated dump trucks (ADTs) and rigid dump trucks (RDTs) for quarrying customers.
When asked about the company’s most popular OTR tyres for quarrying customers, Mai said Triangle Tyre’s 49-inch tyre for 100-tonne RDTs is a big hit in Russia and other key regional markets.
Mai and Giannangeli said the performance and longevity gap between premium and budget OTR tyres, the latter including those historically offered by Triangle Tyre, has significantly closed in recent years. They say more and more European quarrying customers are expressing interest in the company’s range for their site fleets.
Mai said it includes a multi-national building material major that has fitted many Triangle Tyre products on wheeled loaders, ADTs and RDTs operating at various European quarries. The company also offers custom-made OTR tyres to suit specific application needs.
Mai said that Triangle Tyre has for many years proudly received Caterpillar’s Supplier Excellence Recognition for the quality and performance of its tyres fitted on machines manufactured by the world’s biggest off-highway machine maker. The company’s tyres are also supplied on machines made by other major OEMs, such as Komatsu, Hitachi, Hyundai, Volvo Construction Equipment, CNH, Develon, Terex, Liebherr and Sany.
Triangle Tyre strongly emphasises sustainability. Mai said the robustness of the brand’s OTR tyres, enhanced by continuous R&D and rigorous testing, helps extend their life, lowering quarry operators’ total cost of ownership (TCO).
The company has a large, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Huasheng, Shandong province, producing around 400,000 OTR tyres annually.
Triangle Tyre was established in 1976, and its global market presence accelerated greatly after its 2016 listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Triangle Tyre’s distribution network spans over 180 counties. Its sales and technical services branches are in China, Russia, the US (North America), India (South Asia), Singapore (Southeast Asia), Dubai (Middle East and Africa), Panama (Latin America), and Australia (Australasia and New Zealand). In addition, its Milan site serves customers in the European market.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the global OTR tyre industry, Mai said he is excited by Triangle Tyre’s market offer and growth plans.
“Our range is equal to the traditional premium OTR tyre manufacturers. From smaller construction to underground mining, we can fit our products on machines and quickly adapt to the market’s needs,” he told Aggregates Business. “We are increasingly pushing to improve our OTR tyres. It is also very important for customers in the OTR tyre market to be able to monitor performance. As such, we are delighted to introduce our new Triangle TPMS officially at bauma 2025.
“We have been developing it for several years; it mainly monitors tyre pressure and temperature but also has a GPS tracker that can give useful information, store it and make it accessible via iCloud. I believe our device will be one of the best in the market. It is particularly aimed at big quarry and mining customers.
Giannangeli said that Triangle is “increasingly emphasising the OTR side of our business”.
“In 2024, we took all European OTR customers to China to see our production plant,” he said. “Speaking to them and spending time with them has reassured us that the Triangle brand has a premium tyre perception.
“The technological advancement in China has been enormous,” Mai said. “It’s the same when it comes to carbon emissions. In the last few years, the country has introduced strict policies to decrease them. One of the first in the world to do this.”
Mai said that changes to machine specifications and the customer operation of their machines are challenging OTR tyre performance and are among the key trends in the European quarrying market.
“The speed of load and carry operations has increased. Also, wheeled loaders that only had to transfer material short distances to a haul truck increasingly have to transport it longer distances on-site,” he said. “This places heavy pressure on the wheeled loader tyre for much longer. You need to find a new spec for your products. We sell more wheeled loader OTR tyres than ADT and RDT tyres combined – so it’s a crucial part of our OTR tyre business.”
Giannangeli said the Chinese manufacturer’s products had become increasingly in demand worldwide.
“The European off-highway market is increasingly asking for Chinese products, including OTR tyres, where the quality has become much better and more competitive than it used to be,” he said.
“We use the latest technologies, and our R&D intensively works to improve the expected performances of our tyres.
“Our modern manufacturing plant guarantees stable quality and high standards, and customers fully understand our product value.” AB
