Yokohama debuts drive tire for regional and last mile delivery
Yokohama Tire Corp. added a 19.5”, N-speed-rated commercial drive tire engineered for pickup trucks and last-mile delivery operations—the 720R.
The 720R is being offered in a 225/70R/19.5 size and is available in the U.S., according to Tom Clauer, Yokohama’s senior manager of commercial product planning.
“The 720R is designed for fast-paced businesses,” Clauer said. “Its deep tread design is built to last and provides year-round traction for outstanding maneuverability in urban environments.”
The 720R features high-speed capabilities, a Yokohama release said, thanks to an all-new casing design and its N-speed rating, which allows for speeds up to 87 mph.
According to Yokohama Tire Corp., the 720R possesses exceptional traction due to wide lateral grooves that run diagonally across the center rib, improving performance in rain and snow conditions. Plus, deep open shoulder lug grooves provide high traction and fight irregular wear, while the serpentine grooves efficiently evacuate water to provide wet traction throughout the life of the original tire, the release said. Also, the 18/32” original tread depth provides aggressive traction and longer wear without sacrificing fuel efficiency.
The 720R is built to last, Yokohama stated, as its sidewall protection reduces damage caused by curbing and scrubbing in typical urban operations, and the funnel-shaped grooves prevent stones and debris from reaching the bottom of the groove, where damage to the casing can occur.
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In late 2021, Yokohama Tire Corp. had expanded their commercial lineup with the release of the 124R and the 505C all-position tires. Both tires meet the industry’s required performance criteria for severe snow service and carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol on the sidewall.
The 124R radial tire is designed to keep regional pickup and delivery fleets moving all year long, Clauer said. The all-season tire comes in nine sizes, ranging from 17.5” to 22.5”.
Clauer said the 505C is engineered to keep on/off-highway trucks working on the job and is offered in three sizes. “More traction, more uptime. That’s what the 505C is all about–it’s built to last,” Clauer said. “It provides fleets the longevity and durability needed to lift their profit margins.”
However, in the summer of 2021, Yokohama announced a price increase on its consumer replacement tires and commercial truck tires sold in the U.S., which became effective August 1.
The tire manufacturer cited that the “unprecedented increase in the cost of raw materials and the ongoing rise of operational costs necessitated the price adjustments.”
The price increase came on the heels of new management changes, which became effective on July 1, 2021. Stan Chandgie was promoted from vice president of consumer sales to executive vice president of sales and support, while Heather Adelman, director of strategic accounts and consumer sales, was named vice president of consumer replacement sales.
Also in August of 2021, Yokohama Tire opened a 430,000 sq-ft distribution center in Wilmer, Texas. The full-service facility, located about 15 miles southeast of Dallas, is a LEED-certified sustainable building. The facility was first used to distribute Yokohama’s passenger car and light truck tires, followed by commercial truck and bus products in 2022, according to Rick Alonzo, Yokohama Tire’s VP of supply chain and logistics.
“Building this modern facility in Wilmer was a strategic decision,” Alonzo said. “It places us closer to our customer base, helping get our products to dealers much faster. That was one of our goals when deciding on the new location.”
Furthermore, the company increased the prices on its consumer replacement and commercial truck tires again this year, effective February 1—the second time in the last six months.
Yokohama reiterated the reasoning of the August 2021 increase, naming the “continued rise in operational costs” as the cause for the additional price increase.
