New Dunlop Commercial Tires Expand Into Full Lineup

AKRON, Ohio, April 3 -- The resurgence of the Dunlop brand in North America is spreading from the family car to commercial trucks.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today new Dunlop tires to fill out its commercial tire line. The company is rolling out new tires and sizes in mixed-service to go along with its full line of Dunlop line-haul, regional and urban tires.

Mixed-service tires, which can be used on- and off-road, feature severe- service tread compounds and improved belt packages for improved resistance to cutting, chipping and tearing when the tire leaves the roadway. The tire's open lug design provides countless tread edges for grip, and yet, tire technology is used to deliver ride comfort and quietness on pavement, company officials said.

"Expanded Dunlop offerings give our dealers a full tier 2 commercial tire lineup," said Donn Kramer, director of commercial tire marketing in North America. "These tires provide Dunlop dealers with additional weapons in their mid-price tire arsenal."

Two new mixed-service commercial tires - the Dunlop SP831 and SP931 - and two new sizes for the SP581 mixed-service tire line come on top of one of the most comprehensive series of consumer tire launches in the company's history.

In the past 16 months, Dunlop North America has introduced seven new passenger-car, light-truck and race tires.

"Already a leading brand in Europe, the Dunlop name is gaining momentum in North America. On the consumer side, passionate drivers know it for its performance on sports cars and specially tuned vehicles. On the truck side, dealers and fleets know Dunlop commercial tires for their value in meeting the demands of today's haulers," Kramer said.

Last year, the company added commercial tire capacity at its plant in Buffalo, N.Y., to enable the Dunlop expansion.

Goodyear commercial tire systems offer complete products and services to the trucking industry, including a full range of original equipment and replacement tires. In addition, the company's cradle-to-grave tire and service network includes retreading, tire management tools and business solutions for tomorrow's trucking fleets. For more on Dunlop commercial tires, go to http://www.dunloptires.com/commercial/commercial_tires.htm.