COVINGTON, Ga. (Feb. 1, 2005) — Michelin Retread Technologies is increasing its production capacity, adding a new press at its Covington, Ga. retreading operation as a result of increasing demand.

The new MRT press, which began operation last week at the facility, has been designed to produce new high-technology treads and to take advantage of Michelin’s advanced co-extrusion technique, a process where two different rubber compounds are combined to ensure longer life and cooler casing temperatures maximizing the life of the casing.

The expanded operation will capable of producing one million new treads per year.

“The demand for our retread products is accelerating, fueled by strong growth from existing franchisees, as well as the opening of 10 new MRT plants in North America during the last 12 months,” Luc Minguet, chief operating officer of Michelin Americas Truck Tires, said in a release. “We foresee similar growth in the coming years representing an additional demand of half million treads per year. We have already launched a project to add another new press in 2006.”

In addition, the new press will allow the company to expand its offering of wider treads for Michelin’s X One wide-single tire.

The Michelin X One XZUS tire — the fifth version of the popular X One wide single tire introduced by Michelin Americas Truck Tires — is designed for use in the waste industry, on urban delivery trucks, and in other urban/regional applications.

It is the first Michelin X One tire specifically designed for all-wheel position use in such applications, offering higher carrying capacity plus lighter weight to increase payload and improve productivity.

Michelin first introduced the X One wide single tire in 2000. The tire is restricted in many Canadian jurisdictions due to size and weight laws. Michelin has been lobbying Canadian lawmakers to allow the tire, arguing that the tire increases payload, conserving fuel and reducing truck volume on roadways.