Michelin North America was honored with a Product Line Strategy award from Frost & Sullivan for its X One line of tires. By developing a wide array of application-specific, robust products that help fleets reduce operating costs through fuel and weight savings, Frost & Sullivan determined that Michelin has distinguished itself as a Product Line Strategy leader in the commercial vehicle wide-base tire segment. For the Product Line Strategy Award, Frost & Sullivan uses a set of criteria to benchmark Michelin’s performance against key competitors.
"Michelin, through its longstanding commitment to wide-base tires, has been instrumental in developing a comprehensive product lineup that addresses the demands of diverse truck operations and has consequently driven the adoption of wide-base tires," said Kumar Saha, industry analyst with Frost & Sullivan's Automotive and Transportation team. "The company has emerged as the leader in this category by working with customers to consistently improve its products and by optimizing its portfolio to cover not only the different requirements of drive and trailer axles but also the unique needs of long-haul, regional, vocational, and ultra weight-sensitive applications."
Based on Frost & Sullivan's independent analysis of the North American wide-base truck tires market, it found that the Michelin X One line of wide-base tires combines advanced rubber technology with practical and cost-efficient consideration, transitioning wide base single technology from a niche option to the mainstream in the Commercial Trucking industry. The report goes on to say Michelin's continued commitment to wide-base tires has led it to strategically improve the distribution support of these products across North America, enabling fleet customers to experience the benefits of wide-base tires over traditional dual tires.
“When Michelin launched the X One wide base tire in 2000, our goal was to provide a product that would bring value to trucking fleets and owner-operators,” said Jaye Young, country marketing manager, Michelin Americas Truck Tires. “Over the years Michelin has continued to innovate and now offers a breadth of wide single products that are the most fuel efficient, longest lasting, most retreadable wide base tires in the industry.”
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that demonstrates the most insight into the needs and product demands of its customers. The recipient company optimizes its product line by leveraging products with the various price, performance and feature points required by one or more market segments.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in such areas as leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
