STRATHAM, N.H. and TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Global
lifestyle brand Timberland today announced a collaboration with
tire manufacturer and distributor Omni United, to create a
co-branded line of tires under the Timberland and Radar Tires
brands. Timberland Tires will be the first tires ever purposely
designed to be recycled into footwear outsoles after their journey
on the road is complete. The tires will be unveiled at the
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) automotive trade show
in Las Vegas tomorrow, setting new
standards for sustainable innovation in the tire industry.
![Timberland Tires Timberland Tires](http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20141103/156193)
Timberland and Omni United first conceived this partnership
three years ago, when sustainability leaders from both brands came
together to address a longstanding shared concern. The tire and
footwear industries are two of the largest users of virgin rubber.
The majority of tires on the market today have a limited life span;
ecologically-sound disposal at the end of that life span presents
yet another challenge.
As respected innovators in their fields, Timberland and Omni
United envisioned – and are now bringing to life – a partnership
whereby they are creating a more sustainable lifecycle for
rubber.
"Our partnership with Omni United marks a new day for the tire
and footwear industries," said Stewart
Whitney, president of Timberland. "An outdoor lifestyle
brand and an automotive industry leader may, at first blush, seem
unlikely partners – yet our shared values have given birth to tires
that express a lifestyle, deliver performance and safety, and prove
that sustainability can be so much more than a theory. It's this
kind of cross-industry collaboration that's fueling real change and
innovation in the marketplace."
"Timberland Tires is the first tire brand to embrace a holistic
approach, rather than a more traditional approach based on product
attributes alone," said G.S. Sareen,
president and CEO of Omni United. "Given the strength of the
Timberland® brand, and our target consumer's
appreciation for sustainability, we see a huge opportunity to
change the way people choose their tires. With Timberland Tires,
drivers can be confident that their tires will perform, while also
making a statement that expresses their lifestyle and values."
Timberland Tires represent a new model in tire innovation: a
sustainable, tire-to-shoe lifecycle. Positioned at the premium end
of the market, Timberland Tires are designed and created for
superior performance and safety on the road. The tires will be made
in the U.S. (using both domestic and imported materials) and
feature a rubber formulation that is appropriate for the recycling
of the tires at the end of their useful life into
Timberland® shoes, rather than alternatives such as
being used for tire-derived fuel or ending up in landfills.
"Omni United and Timberland are taking an entirely different
view of sustainability by designing Timberland Tires for a second
life from the outset. That is one of the reasons why establishing a
take-back and recycling program before the first tire is sold - and
choosing an appropriate rubber formulation for recycling the tires
into footwear - is so critical," said Sareen. "Our intent is to
capture every worn Timberland Tire and recycle it for a second
life, so none is used as fuel or ends up in a landfill."
To bring the tire-to-shoe continuum to life, Timberland and Omni
United have established an industry-first tire return/chain of
custody process, to ensure the tires go directly to dedicated North
American recycling facilities to begin their path toward a second
life as part of a Timberland® product. Key steps
include:
- Tire retailers will set aside used Timberland Tires for
recycling after consumers purchase new tires to replace their worn
out tires.
- Omni United is partnering with Liberty Tire Recycling and its
network of tire collection and recycling firms to sort and
segregate the Timberland Tires at the companies' facilities.
- The used tires will be shipped to a North American tire
recycling facility where they will be recycled into crumb
rubber.
- The crumb rubber will be processed further into sheet rubber
for shipment to Timberland outsole manufacturers.
- The rubber will be mixed into a Timberland-approved compound
for outsoles that will ultimately be incorporated into
Timberland® boots and shoes. This blended compound will
meet the company's exacting standards for quality and performance,
as well as its stringent compliance standards.
The Timberland Tires product line provides market coverage in
three categories. The Timberland CROSS tire (for small SUVs and
crossover vehicles) will be available in April 2015 in 21 sizes, expanding to 35 sizes by
September 2015. The Timberland A/T
tire (for trucks and large SUVs) will be available in July 2015 in 30 sizes, and the Timberland TOUR
tire (for cars) will be launched in 2016 in at least 25 sizes. This
will round out the Timberland Tires portfolio, giving it three
distinct lines with 90+ sizes covering about 75 percent of the
North American passenger vehicle market.
Timberland Tires will be sold initially in the United States at leading national and
regional tire retailers, as well as online through a
state-of-the-art e-commerce platform.
With warranties targeting 50,000 to 80,000 miles depending on
tire model, Timberland and Omni United anticipate that the first
lot of returned Timberland Tires will be ready for recycling in
late 2017. Until a critical mass of supply comes in, Timberland and
Omni United are seeking alternative recycled rubber compounds for a
special collection of Timberland® boots with outsoles
inspired by the treads on Timberland Tires. These boots are slated
to launch in fall 2016.
For more information about Timberland Tires, visit
www.timberlandtires.com.
About Timberland
Timberland, a brand of VF
Corporation (NYSE: VFC), is a global leader in the design,
engineering and marketing of premium-quality footwear, apparel and
accessories for consumers who value the outdoors and their time in
it. Timberland markets products under the Timberland®,
Timberland PRO®, and Timberland Boot Company®
brands, all of which offer quality workmanship and detailing and
are built to withstand the elements of nature.
Timberland® products are sold throughout the world in
leading department and specialty stores as well as company-owned
retail locations and online. Timberland's dedication to making
quality products is matched by its commitment to "doing well
and doing good" – forging powerful partnerships among
employees, consumers and service partners to transform the
communities in which they live and work. To learn more about
Timberland, please visit www.timberland.com.
About Omni United / Radar Tires
Omni United
is a tire designer and manufacturer. The company offers a complete
range of passenger car, SUV, truck, bus and farms tires marketed
under its own brand names: Radar Tires, Birla, Goodride, Roadlux
and Speedways. Omni United was founded in 2003 by entrepreneur
G.S. Sareen and is headquartered in
Singapore. As a reliable business
partner with innovative products, unparalleled customer service and
logistics solutions, Omni United plays an important role in
supplying value-for-money products to consumers in more than 80
countries worldwide. Omni United is proud to have its Radar Tires
brand declared Carbon Neutral in 2013. In the United States, the company does business
as Omni United USA and currently
has products sold in more than 1,000 retail outlets nationwide.
Further information on Omni United is available by calling
1-855-906-6646, by emailing info@omni-united.com or visiting
http://omni-united.com. For further information about Radar Tires,
please visit http://www.radartires.com
CONTACT:
|
|
Sam
Komiega
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Casey
Robinson
|
Timberland
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Omni United
USA
|
603-773-1438
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231-645-6452
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samantha_komiega@timberland.com
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info@timberlandtires.com
|
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141103/156193
SOURCE Timberland