Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) has announced it will introduce the 27.00R49 V-Steel Rock Deep Ultra (VRDU) aggregate tire at the Aggregate Academy & Expo (AGG1) in St. Louis, Mo., March 25-27. The VRDU is the first aggregate tire engineered with the company’s groundbreaking MASTERCORE technology, bringing the proven performance and tire life of the product lineup to the segment.

“Bridgestone’s MASTERCORE technology epitomizes how our company helps customers move more with less,” said Rob Seibert, President, Off-the-Road, Bridgestone Americas. “With the new 27.00R49 MASTERCORE VRDU, we’re adapting our proven technology from the mining segment to the aggregate industry, offering enhanced durability, performance, and value across a wider range of applications.”

The Bridgestone MASTERCORE VRDU is specifically designed for rock surfaces. It will be offered in four advanced compounds engineered to deliver performance tailored to the unique needs of each quarry operation. Applicable for dump trucks, the new tire is designed with several special features to help deliver greater efficiency:

Deeper Tread Depth – The tread pattern of the VRDU boasts a 35% deeper tread depth^1,3. It is designed to provide haul trucks with superior traction on rocky terrains, better stability and comfort.
Improved Tire Life – The MASTERCORE VRDU’s deeper tread pattern incorporates innovative cooling slopes and center grooves to help extend tire life by 26% compared to the Bridgestone VRLS².
Increased Load Capacity – The proprietary casing is engineered with MASTERCORE technology, which uses a wide and strong belt package and rubber compounds. This delivers up to 10% more load capacity⁴ versus Bridgestone’s conventional tires and key competitors⁵.

The MASTERCORE VRDU will be manufactured at the company’s Aiken County OTR plant to support growing industry demand in the U.S. and Canada. It will be available later this year.

At AGG1, the Bridgestone booth will also spotlight its robust Engineering Solutions services and advanced digital products that utilize the latest Bridgestone OTR technology. This technology has been created to bring additional value to aggregate operations and help fleets move more with less.

Bridgestone’s development of the MASTERCORE VRDU and commitment to the aggregate segment aligns with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment. The Bridgestone MASTERCORE VRDU demonstrates the company’s “Efficiency” and “Extension” commitments.

Bridgestone will be located at AGG1 booth #2313 on Tuesday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 26 from 9am to 5pm, and Thursday, March 27 from 9am to 2pm.

¹Tire tread depth comparison based on Bridgestone MasterCore VRDU 27.00R49 2* E2A (OTD 90 mm/ 113.4 32nd in) vs. Bridgestone conventional VREP, VRLS 27.00R49 (OTD 66.5 mm/84 32nd in).

²Based on internal field testing comparing operational hours for Bridgestone conventional VRLS 27.00R49 2* E2A vs. Bridgestone MasterCore VRDU 27.00R49 2*E2A. Results may vary.

³Tread depth, comparison based on Bridgestone MasterCore VRDU 27.00R49 2* E2A (OTD 90 mm/113.4 32nd in) vs. Goodyear RH-4 A+ 27.00R49 2* (OTD 83mm/ 105 32nd in), as reflected in Goodyear’s RH-4A+ Product Sheet on their website, and vs. Maxam MS403 27.00R49 2* S2 cut resistant (OTD 75mm/ 94 32nd in), as reflected on the Maxam website.

⁴Load capacity comparison based on tire load limits at 700 kpa/102 psi on the Bridgestone MasterCore VRDU 27.00R49 2* E2A (30,000 kgs/66,000 lbs) vs. Bridgestone conventional 27.00R49 2* E2A (27,250 kgs/60,000 lbs).

⁵Load capacity comparison based on Bridgestone MasterCore VRDU 27.00R49 2* E2A at 700 kpa/102 psi (30,000 kgs/66,000 lbs) vs. Goodyear RH-4 A+ 27.00R49 2* at 700 kpa/102 psi (27,250 kgs/60,000 lbs), as reflected in Goodyear’s RH-4A+ Product Sheet on their website, and vs. Maxam MS403 27.00R49 2* S2 (cut-resistant) at 700 KPA/102 psi (27,250 kgs/60,000 lbs), as reflected on the Maxam website.

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Bridgestone to Debut First MASTERCORE Tire for Aggregate Segment with Enhanced Load Capacity and More Tire Life