Trelleborg Wheel Systems ran its highly anticipated ‘Tractor Driver of the Year’ event for a second time on 15 February 2020 in San Martino del Lago, Cremona, Italy. After four key challenges the winner, out of 40 participants, was Mirko Fontana and in second place Alberto Alegretti, the previous year’s winner. Many of the attendees were returning participants, who came back to see the premium performance of Trelleborg tires close up, including the tires’ maneuverability, versatility and traction capacity. In addition to the challenge, participants and the attendees had the opportunity to see a live demo of Trelleborg Load Calculator (TLC) Plus, as well as a pressure detection system that was applied to the Fendt 516 Vario dx rear tractor tire. This demonstration was followed by the Italian preview of the new Trelleborg’s Central Tire Inflation System, CTIS+ inside. Two major technical partners joined the event: Fendt provided the tractors, including the demo tractor equipped with Trelleborg’s TLC Plus; Merlo provided the telehandler. The Trelleborg TLC Plus App is an advanced, sensor-based check-up system, which measures potential tire pressure gaps between the optimum pressure and the actual tire inflation pressure and relays this information, with recommended adjustments, via wireless connectivity to the farmer’s mobile device or PC. The new smart Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS+ Inside) enables tractor drivers to inflate or deflate tire pressures directly from the tractor cabin, according to the recommended pressure calculated by the advanced Trelleborg Load Calculator (TLC). Adopting the right tire pressure can reduce farming variable costs by over 20%, reducing fuel consumption and increasing traction power and crop yields, while protecting and enhancing the modern farming business.
