Goodyear DuraSeal Commercial Tire Technology Seals Award

AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 28, 2005; Goodyear's DuraSeal commercial tire technology has been selected to receive Construction Equipment magazine's Top 100 Award

Rod Sutton, editor in chief at the magazine, said editors considered about 700 product introductions before picking DuraSeal technology for the award. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced in January that it had developed a revolutionary commercial tire technology that seals tire punctures when they occur, greatly reducing vehicle downtime and service calls.

Steve McClellan, vice president of commercial tire systems for Goodyear, said, "Obviously we're excited about this prestigious award. Customer acceptance of this technology has been overwhelming, and we're being challenged to offer it in new applications."

The new technology uses a gel-like, solvent-free compound built into the inner liner of the tire. It is designed to consistently and instantly seal punctures up to 1/4-inch in the tread area.

No other tire manufacturer offers tires with built-in sealant. DuraSeal technology offers superior sealing efficiency as compared to aftermarket liquid sealants, McClellan said.

"The tire casing maintains its sealing capability even after it is retreaded. The technology is a long-term solution for an age-old problem, while aftermarket sealants are temporary fixes.

"Unlike this unreliable fix, DuraSeal reduces repair, downtime and tire replacement costs. The built-in sealant means no messy cleanup for each repair, reduced fire risk during retreading and no negative impact in tire temperature, high-speed performance and rolling resistance," he said.

Construction Equipment Editor Sutton said the awards "emphasize innovations, highlighting manufacturers who are investing in research and development. Their investments pay off for equipment users in the form of greater productivity, efficiencies and safety." DuraSeal technology and 99 other products will be featured in the magazine's December issue.

DuraSeal technology is available in Goodyear's new Unisteel G287 MSA mixed-service tire for the refuse and sanitation industry. New sizes in G287 and G288 MSA mixed-service tires, available in early 2006, will be used in logging, landfill, construction, road building and other severe service applications.

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.