While the issue of soil compaction remains as topical as it does significant in the farming industry, Firestone’s agricultural product manager Barry Coleman probably underlines the sheer gravity of the subject as well as anyone.

“By 2050, the world’s population will increase by 2.3 billion people, meaning food production will need to increase by 70 per cent,” said Barry.

“With this in mind, agricultural equipment needs to evolve to operate with increased productivity, minimizing the impact on precious top-soil, at reduced operational cost.”

Without putting too fine a point on it, heavy farming equipment can cause serious damage to the soil structure of any field, and that means lower productivity.

The equation, according to Barry, is a simple one.

“With a growing population, there is a need for more food and with limited arable land available, soil conservation is essential. 

“Factor in the perennial pressure on costs and you appreciate that sustainable farming – featuring the issue of soil compaction - has never been more critical.”

This is where Firestone comes into its own.

The brand has never been more committed to the farming world and is continually investing in better technologies to make a difference to farmers everywhere, with 85 new products launched last year alone.

In February, Firestone announced the Performer Row Crop series of tyres which improve farming efficiency.

The new tyres are designed to provide maximum efficiency in the field and on the road through their high load-carrying capacity, thereby enabling farmers to use large tanks and save time in spraying operations. 

Firestone has carried this field efficiency through to the road, designing the new tyres with a high speed index.  Combined with the Dual Angle Lug pattern, Performer Row Crop tyres allow farmers to travel at higher speeds, resulting in further savings. The tyres also demonstrate excellent ride comfort and steering response, even at these higher speeds.

“Market research and customer feedback tell us that ride comfort and reducing soil compaction are increasingly important for farmers today working with larger and faster tractors, heavy loads and a more intensive use of machinery. 

“Our Performer range has been developed to meet these needs. Our market share in this segment has grown dramatically over the past few years, and Firestone is already one of, if not the single largest brand in the UK,” added Barry.

The Firestone Maxi Traction IF has also been a similarly successful tyre for the brand, to supplement the Performer range.

Independent traction tests comparing the Firestone Maxi Traction IF with three main competitors, including top-selling tyre brands in Europe, proved the overall superiority of the Firestone tyre in traction and work rate.  The Maxi Traction IF was shown to have the lowest slip rate1 – resulting in stronger traction.   These tests were carried out last year and also confirmed Maxi Traction’s higher work capacity, showing a larger surface area work rate2 than the same three competitors.

“Firestone aims to offer farmers measurable improvements in efficiency and these independent tests prove that Maxi Traction IF delivers it.

The same testing programme shows that Maxi Traction IF has an above-average tyre footprint, adding the benefit of lower soil compaction to its top traction performance.

Importantly for farmers, the independent tests found that Maxi Traction’s superior traction and faster work rate is not compromised by its fuel efficiency, which proved in line with average results of the tested tyres in the field and on the road.3 Farmers can therefore enjoy lower overall fuel consumption with Maxi Traction thanks to its faster work rate.

In addition to enabling the tyre to carry the same load as a standard tyre at lower inflation pressure, Firestone IF technology can also be used to carry a 20% higher load at the same inflation pressure and speed as a standard tyre. This gives the farmer, for example, the capability to use heavier implements or reduce the number of transport cycles – increasing production efficiency again.

“Soil structure determines the ability of soil to hold and conduct water, nutrients, and air necessary for plant root activity, so it is vital to choose the right tyre to offer the right results, which is what we are all about at Firestone,” concluded Barry.