The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced Tuesday, Nov. 27, that it has signed a one-year agreement to be the preferred tire supplier for Wabash National Corp. semi trailers. The agreement includes using Goodyear Unisteel G316 LHT trailer tires featuring Fuel Max Technology on Wabash National’s DuraPlate dry van trailer, which recently received certification in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership.
Goodyear’s Fuel Max linehaul tires also have been approved for use on SmartWay tractors and trailers. SmartWay is a voluntary partnership between the freight industry and the EPA to increase energy efficiency and emissions reductions.
“We are extremely pleased to have been chosen by Wabash National to supply tires for its lines of trailers,” says Mark Totten, general manager of original-equipment commercial tires for Akron, Ohio-based Goodyear. “Together, Wabash National and Goodyear will provide fleet customers with fuel-saving technologies that enhance the performance of their trailers. In addition, Goodyear commercial tires provide long mileage and retreadability for enhanced cost per mile and lower overall operating costs.”
The G316 LHT tire uses a cool-running, triple-compound construction designed to reduce energy generated within the tread. The casing features an all-steel four-belt package, ensuring a solid foundation for multiple retreads, Totten says. A solid shoulder rib and innovative pressure distribution groove – borrowed from the G395 LHS steer tire – help resist shoulder wear. Two circumferential grooves and lateral grooves help provide all-season performance. The G316 LHT tire and matching retreads sport 12/32-inch deep tread for more miles to removal.
Wabash National is headquartered in Lafayette, Ind.