“Prometeon engineered”: this new tagline testifies to the combined efforts of the three R&D centres (in Brazil, Italy and Turkey) of the group which is heir to Pirelli technology in the heavy transport, agricultural and off-road sectors. Going from a blank canvas to production took four years of research, development and on-road testing. Alexandre Bregantim, engineer and Chief Technical Officer at Prometeon Tyre Group, tells us about the adventure behind the Serie 02. “We worked simultaneously on five lines for missions ranging from long-haul to on/off road, passing through regional and urban transport. Let's talk about weight: not only does the lighter weight of the new Serie 02 tyres increase the load capacity of vehicles they are fitted to, it also reduces the transportation of raw materials and finished products, as well as requiring less energy for production and disposal.” The work coordinated across three continents saw “the enthusiastic participation of our Turkish colleagues, who last year inaugurated their new R&D centre; the Italians, who will renovate theirs this year; and my Brazilian compatriots. These very different countries allowed us to test out a wide range of road conditions and adapt the same good ideas to tyres which will be for specific geographical areas.”

Feedback from users to better understand their needs and requirements was also key. “Our OEM customers, certainly, hauliers and also trailer manufacturers. Here, too, satisfaction has come from personal relationships: many dealers are calling us to get the new Serie 02. Thanks once again to feedback,” Bregantim continues, “we were able to understand the needs and requirements of operators of bus fleets and urban distribution vehicles, which are rapidly changing. We were thus able to offer a tyre suited to the requirements of electric vehicles, which are at greater risk of early tyre wear.”