Bridgestone, the world's largest tire manufacturer and owner of the brand Firestone, launches the radial tire FS440, its main product for the highway transport segment. The new model presents mileage performance improved by 20% in comparison with its predecessor, the FS400. In addition, it received “Grade A” in the Brazilian Program of Labeling (PBE) for its adherence to wet terrain.
“Improved mileage performance without compromising the driver’s comfort and safety. That was our main focus while developing the FS440,” commented Oduvaldo Viana, Marketing Director of Bridgestone Brazil. “We applied all our knowledge, innovation and technology to develop the best tire in its category,” explains Viana.
The FS440 is a tubeless radial tire designed for use in directional, floating and moderate traction axles trucks and buses that travel short, medium and long distances on paved highways.
With a greater tread depth to improve mileage performance, the FS440 has rounded shoulders, which increase resistance to side drag, preventing the premature detachment of the tread area. Supplementing the characteristics of the product, the new launch also comes with ejectors in the central grooves, which help decrease stones retention and Groove Fence, a technology that enables noise reduction.
Both rounded shoulders and ejectors allow for a greater rate of tire retreading, which helps cost management efficiency by truck and bus drivers and owners, since tires represent a considerable cost. “The retread industry is increasingly consolidated in Brazil, since it is something that can help in cost reduction. Retreading allows for the safe reuse of tires by adding a new tread area (the part that comes into contact with the ground) to it. Thus, it can reduce tire mileage costs and bring benefits to suppliers, consumers and the environment,” concludes Viana.
In the safety issue, the great highlight of this model is its excellent grip on wet surfaces. The FS440 received a “Grade A” in the 275/80 R22.5 measurements, according to the criteria established by Inmetro for the Brazilian Program of Labeling (PBE).
