What's Going On in the World of OTR Tires: News Bites from Around the Web

It's been a busy spring in the world of OTR tires. In our efforts to keep you abreast of the latest developments, we've lined up a list of informative headlines with a short summary of each. Feel free to click through to the full articles for more detail.

What's Going on in the World of OTR Tires, Spring 2015:


Conference panel at 60th Annual OTR Tire Conference

• "60th Annual OTR Tire Conference: Celebrating the Past, Looking Forward." At this recent event in Tuscon, AZ, industry leaders were able both to hear and to give presentations, take part in panel discussions, network, and engage in leisure activities. The conference centered not only on recent developments but also on hopes for the future of OTR tires. The next conference will be held held Feb. 17-20, 2016, at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif.
• "Double Coin, CMA Find Anti-Dumping Determination 'Grossly Wrong.'" According to Tire Review, both Double Coin and CMA are protesting the government's newly-imposed anti-dumping rate of 105.31%, claiming that the rate is unjust. Further sources reveal that CMA has vowed to appeal the ruling.
• "Michelin Q1 Sales Up 5.6%," although a closer reading of the report uncovers that "Sales volume in the specialty businesses unit — earthmover, agricultural, two-wheeler and aviation tires — was off 4 percent despite some gains in the OE and infrastructure OTR segments and sales improvements in the two-wheel sector." The arguments become even more nuanced after that, but we're happy to see Michelin showing a net gain at the end of the day.

In fact, we're happy to share all of these reports from the world of OTR tires, since their existence is evidence of a thriving, developing industry intent on moving forward. If you have any exciting OTR news to share, please do so in the comments section.

Remember that we carry a full stock of big tires for all of your OTR needs. Please feel free to contact us for the best deals.

Image credit: TireReview

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Job Security Issues within the U.S. Mining Industry?

Although reports of a steadily-growing U.S. job market came as an encouragement to many industries this spring, the news in March and April regarding the U.S. mining industry and heavy industry were not so encouraging. The overall job market may be expanding, but within the mining sector, some troubling trends have emerged.

First, Pittsburgh-based company U.S. Steel announced in late March that they would lay off seven hundred workers, citing supply and demand issues. These cuts are only one in a series of closures and layoffs that have led to an estimated four thousand U.S. Steel workers losing their jobs.

Global iron ore prices have dropped by more than 50 percent in the past 18 months, with slower demand in China and huge increases in iron ore output in Australia. Since 2011, iron ore prices have dropped by two-thirds, from nearly $190 per ton to about $57 per ton (Grand Fork Herald).

With statistics like those staying current, it's hard to predict when the situation might turn around.

In addition to these cuts, America has also witnessed a big drop in oil and affiliated mining jobs. According to Business Insider, persistently low oil prices have forced many energy companies to shut down their rigs, leading to more layoffs.

Fortunately, U.S. mining news hasn't been entirely grim. Recent reports indicate that after many years, the declining coal industry has stabilized and may even be on the rise again. Who would have predicted that just a couple of years ago?

No matter which mining sector you call home, remember that we carry a full range of OTR tires for all of your mining equipment needs. Please feel free to contact us for the best deals.

Image credit: Grand Fork Herald

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OTR Tires Needed and This Week's Specials

OTR Tires Needed:

We are in need of the following. If you have any of these in your inventory in North America please let us know.

2pc 9.00R20 Michelin XZM
4pc 16.00R25 Michelin XZM
6pc 23.5R25 Goodyear RL2+


Here are this week's OTR Tire Specials:

14pc - 29.5R25 Michelin X-Mine D2 - $6,900.00 ea (Bulk Deal Pricing: must take all 14) 2pc - 17.5R25 Bridgestone VSDL - $1,850.00 ea

29.5R25 Michelin X-Mine D2

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It's time to invest in some new heavy equipment tires

With Spring in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to invest in new heavy equipment tires. Winter snow, ice, and unforgiving frozen terrain can take their toll on your tires. The brutally cold temperatures can lead to damage that doesn't even make itself known until seasonal temperatures begin to rise and by then, you might be looking at worse problems than loose gravel and rivers of mud.

For the safety of your operators, as well as the benefit of your company, tires are critical when it comes to regular, scheduled maintenance. Tire failure means work hours lost, expensive repairs, and even worse, cranky mechanics. A wide range of problems can be avoided, from basic tire failure to more catastrophic events, including loss of life if routine tire replacement is part of your scheduled maintenance rotation.

Contact us for suggestions on the best tires for your type of terrain, climate, workload, and even tire durability for wherever the job takes you. You can breathe easy knowing that your equipment is running on the most reliable and cost effective rubber for your dollar. We also offer PressurePro TPMS so you and your operators have real time info on tire temperatures and pressures.

The biggest complaints your mechanics should have is about how awful the coffee is in the lunchroom, not about how the front end loader has been driving on cords for the last hundred hours of operation. We can help you with the tires, but probably not the coffee. ;)

Image Credit: BobWinning.com

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More Front End Loader Madness

It just seems that the front end loader madness never stops. Even though it's become a recurring theme on our blog, every time we put together one of these posts, we're still amazed at the sheer amount of random crimes reported every single month centering on front end loaders.

First, there always seems to be a drunk, disorderly vandal who decides it's going to be a good idea to end the night with a joyride on one of the world's slowest transportation devices ever. This week is no exception with the Logan Banner from Logan, West Virginia reporting that one Arnold Campbell recently decided to drive a $100,000 CAT off a construction site right after he "had drank beer, taken shots of liquor, and smoked crack cocaine earlier in the evening."

Next, there's generally a report of straight-up theft. Since most heavy equipment is kept on-site overnight during jobs, theft is not exactly infrequent. This time, though, the report is a doozy from Down Under:

Thieves have stolen a front end loader valued at $1.2 million from the industrial area of Boodarie in South Hedland, in the state's North West. The thieves would have had to use a low loader to transport the large piece of machinery (WAToday).

Caterpillar 988H Loader

New to this month's lineup, though, is a tale of Front End Loader Spontaneous Combustion!

Well, perhaps Spontaneous Combustion is a bit of overstatement. While it has been (somewhat sensationally) reported that a front end loader suddenly "burst into flames" near the charmingly-named Hog Mountain Road in Gwinnet County, Georgia, the report also cites a "busted hydraulic line" as the cause.

Whatever the current legal state of your front end loader, be sure that you're performing regular checks for tire maintenance and remember that we carry a full stock of front end loader tires for all of your needs. Feel free to contact us for the best deals.

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Michelin OTR Tire Blowout Sale!

We have the following tires at a deep discount and there are limited quantities available. They were just offered to us. Your cost is $9,450.00 each plus freight.

4pc 27.00R49 Michelin XDTB
4pc 27.00R49 Michelin XDR2A
4pc 27.00R49 Michelin X Traction A4
2pc 27.00R49 Michelin XDR2B
1pc 27.00R49 Michelin X Traction B

Don't wait, contact us now to get your Michelin OTR tires!

Image credit: Raul Pacheco-Vega on Flickr

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Cool Book - Caterpillar: Modern Earthmoving Marvels

If you are a fan of heavy earth moving equipment in general, and are a fan of Caterpillar equipment in particular then this awesome hardcover book is for you.

So many things differentiate the Caterpillar brand from its competitors that it can be difficult to know where to begin. From its trademark Caterpillar Yellow to its tradition of making the most rock-solid products on earth, everything about the Caterpillar name is synonymous with the world's toughest machines. In fact, the company's success has led to it being used by economists as a bellwether for the state of the economy as a whole. In Caterpillar: Modern Earthmoving Marvels, author Frank Raczon details the largest and most modern earth-moving machines today, with down-to-earth explanations of how and why they work the way they do as well as interviews and quotes from Caterpillar's engineers and operators themselves. Featuring rare historical photography and insight from noted industrial historian Keith Haddock, this book offers a glimpse of how the Caterpillar's meteoric rise from an under-the-radar producer of agrarian and industrial equipment led to its modern status as an international corporate superstar. Filled with excavators, backhoe loaders, motor-graders, off-highway trucks and more, this book is sure to capture the imagination of anyone who has ever passed a construction site and wondered just how the machines work the way they do and what they're truly capable of.

Caterpillar: Modern Earthmoving Marvels is available as a hardcover book from Amazon.com.

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Have You Selected The Right OTR Tires For Your Equipment?

Selecting the right OTR tires and maintaining those tires are two big aspects that will play a significant part in your business's production. You have to choose the right tires, and you have to be willing to keep those tires maintained to the best of your ability.

It is critical to stick to a well defined maintenance schedule for rigid haul truck tires or any kind of heavy equipment tires. Keeping to the schedule will ensure that your OTR tires are well-maintained; reducing your costs and maximizing your production. Your trucks need to be on the mine roads hauling payload. You do not want to waste time and money because you have to constantly change tires or constantly get them repaired because they have not been maintained the way they should.

Instead of having your tires repaired all of the time, you can save money by making sure your heavy-duty equipment is using the correct tires. Even after you are sure that your equipment is sitting on the right tires, you should still have consistent tire check-ups.

Giving your tires a check-up on a routine basis will save you from replacing those tires or paying someone to fix them for you. Many times, if you wait too long to check your tires, you will end up spending more money repairing or replacing them, than you would have if you had consistently checked your tires.

You can have an easier time choosing the proper OTR tires for your equipment and understanding what you need to do to keep them maintained when you have an OTR tire supplier to depend on. So if you are unsure about what steps you should take, you do not have to stress over the situation. You can contact us for assistance. We want to make sure that you have the right tires that will allow you to easily get the job done. The staff at Buy Big Tires has years of OTR tire experience and can help you select the right type of tire for your equipment and application.

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EPA's Overall Impact on U.S. Mining Industry a Matter for Debate

The ongoing debate over whether the federal government's EPA legislation is helping or hurting the U.S. mining industry seems to be an ongoing matter for debate. By taking a few recent news articles into consideration, you'll see two extremes.

Negative Impact

For those concerned with the negative impact of the EPA's mandates, a recent article bearing the inflammatory title "U.S. EPA Continual Attempt to Destroy the Coal Mining Industry" would provide ample fodder. Among other things, the article blames the drop off in coal mining jobs on "the effects of past EPA regulations targeting mercury, sulfur and other toxic pollutants" (EnergyBiz).

In the interest of fairness, we'd like to point out that while this article does make clear that EPA regulations do impact mining, sometimes in ways that limit unchecked growth--a point that we do not deny--what's seems less clear are the article's further claims regarding shadowy motives and conspiracies.

Positive Impact

Those hoping to prove that EPA regulations only have a negative impact would be stymied by claims of Minnesota coal miners, who have recently recognized an unexpected benefit of new EPA regulations; namely, that implementing them would keep the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency from playing favorites among different types of mines, as has happened in the past:

[T]he Iron Ore Alliance is grateful that state Legislators recently introduced legislation that would require the MPCA to comply with existing law that requires the agency to initiate a rulemaking process to designate surface waters in Minnesota where the standard applies. That rulemaking would ensure that MPCA fairly applies the standard (Mesabi Daily News).

Although the debate regarding the EPA's overall impact on the mining industry will be ongoing, it's nice to hear specific instances in which the benefits have been immediate, even if they may have been unintentional by-products. We also appreciate those folks in the industry who continually challenge the EPA to improve their regulations so that they better meet their goals of minimizing pollution while also minimizing their impact on mining jobs and company profits. That's a tough win-win to aim for, but it's good to see people pushing the EPA to try to accomplish their mission in a more balanced way.

Remember that we carry a full range of big tires for all of your mining needs. Please contact us for the best deals.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

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OTR Tire Deals for April 1, 2015

Titan LD250

Here are a few tires we are able to get at this time. Quantities are limited.

45-65x45 Firestone DuraLoad 58ply L5 - $12,850.00 each

45-65x45 Firestone DuraLoad DT L4 - $11,250.00 each

33.00x51 Firestone SRGDT 58ply - $10,250.00 each

1pc - 2700R49 Goodyear RL4H 2008 production - $6,500.00

1pc - 40-65x39 Titan LD250 - $7,000.00

All prices are in U.S. Dollars, per tire, and plus freight. Don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter to get OTR tire deals just like these delivered to your inbox before they get posted to our site.

No this is not an April Fools Day Joke...this is a real sale!

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Sinking Commodity Prices Impact Production of Mining Equipment

If you've been paying attention to our posts about Australia, then you're aware of how the mining industry has been suffering there; what you may not realize, however, is that falling commodity prices have not been limited to the Australian continent. As the value of commodities has gone down around the globe, the international mining equipment industry has been negatively impacted as well.

Early in March Milwaukee-based equipment producer Joy Global announced that its net fiscal worth had fallen by 52% from the previous year, citing that falling oil prices had led to customers spending less on mining equipment.

They're not the only ones feeling the pinch. NPR reports lower prices on commodities such as copper and iron have led to weaker demand for mining equipment. It doesn't seem to be a temporary dip, either, and Joy Global isn't the only equipment producer facing hard choices:

Caterpillar, which in 2010 bought longtime mining equipment maker Bucyrus in South Milwaukee, began to lay off workers in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Outside the huge South Milwaukee plant, there are fewer cars now in the Caterpillar company parking lot as hundreds of workers, basically half the factory, have lost their jobs (NPR).

Speaking as suppliers of big tires for big mining machines, we admit that stories like these are not exactly our favorites. We realize, however, that markets are always fluctuating, and that the bottom of the trough just means that the trend is about to reverse. We look forward to giving more positive reports in the weeks and months to come.

In the meantime, remember that we carry a full supply of big tires for all your equipment needs. Please feel free to contact us for the best deals.

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