Israel’s Galileo launches own-brand farm tires 

Mevassert Zion, Israel – Israeli technology company Galileo Wheel is venturing more closely into tire production, with its CupWheel system – said to offer “superior technology” for the farm-tire sector.

The company, which was conceived nine years ago, has been in a long-term, exclusive licensing agreement with Czech tire-maker Mitas, currently part of the Trelleborg group.

Now in parallel with that partnership, Galileo intends to “go solo as a ‘tire-maker’ with a premium technology,” according to Galileo CEO Alon Hayka.

Trelleborg has “successfully developed vineyards-related tires with our technology,” he explained in an interview with ERJ. 

“But the scope of our innovation was much greater [and] prompted us to take the lead with our own CupWheel brand approach.”

According to Hayka, on the back of strong market feedback, Mevassert-based Galileo has signed a licensing agreement with Turkish tire maker Petlas. 

The ‘dual-arm project’ sees Petlas using CupWheel in the production of its own tires, while allowing an off-take opportunity for Galileo at the Turkish company’s factories.

CupWheel combines radial tires and tracks with the use of accordion-shaped sidewalls: the outer circumference of the tire to change shape for reduced soil-compaction and enhanced traction. 

Full article in the Jan/Feb 2020 issue of European Rubber Journal magazine