BFGoodrich wins Humvee contract with U.S. military

Fort Wayne, Indiana - Michelin North America Inc.'s BFGoodrich unit has won a $10.7 million contract to supply the US military with tyres for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or Humvee.

BFGoodrich will be the majority supplier, but Goodyear - up to now the sole supplier of military Humvee tyres - also will continue to supply the Humvee, a Michelin spokeswoman said.

The tyre to be supplied will be a BFGoodrich Baja T/A radial tyre designed specifically for military use, and it will be produced in BFG´s Fort Wayne plant starting in May, the company said.

The specially designed tyre has an E load-rating capacity, according to Michelin. It also has 22.5-percent better tread life, 11-percent better wet pavement manouverability, 8-percent better dry pavement maneuverability and 20-percent better mud traction than the previous tyre fitment, the company said.

The tyre size is 37x12.5, according to AM General LLC, the Humvee's maker.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)