When it comes to tyres for his extensive machine park, contractor Nikolaus Rupp from Rosenberg-Hohenberg in the East Alb consistently uses agricultural tyres from Michelin. In addition to the quality, he is impressed by the high level of cost-effectiveness and the good advice and support service.
German Contractor Counts on Michelin’s Agricultural Tyres
Regarding profitability, Nikolaus Rupp comments: “Good quality, high availability, high performance and thus good fuel efficiency are decisive for profitability – and not the lowest possible purchase price.” The 57-year-old Swabian from Rosenberg-Hohenberg in East Württemberg knows what he is talking about. He is the second generation to manage the contracting company founded by his father Alfons 60 years ago.
“As the only connection between the machine and the ground, the tyres are instrumental to the performance and thus the profitability of the machine,” says the trained agricultural machinery mechanic and state-certified agricultural specialist. “In addition, the tyre significantly influences the ground pressure and thus the quality of our service.”
The Ruppsche machine park houses 15 tractors, four combine harvesters, four forage harvesters, five large balers and various other harvest and transport vehicles – and is therefore one of the larger companies in the south-west of Germany. The catchment area stretches from Schwäbisch Hall in the west to Aalen in the south and almost to Dinkelsbühl in the east, around 50 kilometres around the hometown on the northern eastern Alb. In this region, the contractor is not only known for the good quality of his work, but also for his impeccably maintained vehicle fleet.
Nikolaus Rupp explains how the right tyres are one of the most important machine equipment components for economic efficiency. “Admittedly, MICHELIN tyres belong to the upper price segment. But Michelin also offers top quality and top service. When it comes to profitability, for me as a contractor there is no alternative to Michelin. “
It is precisely the reliable advice and support service from Michelin that makes all the difference for Rupp. Thanks to regular visits and technical discussions on site, the regional MICHELIN sales representative Stefan Stutz knows the operation, the machinery and the operational conditions of the Rupp contractor inside out. “For maximum service quality and advice, you not only need specialist knowledge and knowledge of the local conditions, but also professional tools,” emphasises Stutz. The experienced agricultural technology professional not only checks and inspects his customers’ tyres on a regular basis. He also has wheel scales in his luggage in order to be able to give optimal compressed air recommendations for the specific application by means of machine weighing. “Soil conservation is moving more and more into the focus of farmers,” says Stutz. “To support this, I am also looking for ways to optimise under the machine.”
Nikolaus Rupp welcomes the fact that he can find a suitable tyre for every type of machine and every application in the wide range of models from Michelin. The flex and ultraflex tyres from Michelin in particular are a perfect match for the changing requirements of contractors. Whether MICHELIN AXIOBIB 2 for high traction performance in heavy tractors, MICHELIN CEREXBIB 2 for optimal traction and traction in harvesting machines or MICHELIN MACHXBIB as a fuel-efficient all-rounder for high-performance tractors – almost every tyre model is used in the Rupp fleet. Nikolaus Rupp has nevertheless identified a favourite: “The MICHELIN XEOBIB VF has been the undisputed number one for me in tractors.” Because of its low tyre pressure and the resulting soil protection and high traction, but above all “because of its good profitability. We recently started using the successor AXIOBIB 2,” explains Rupp. “It can now show whether it is as good as the previous model. Or maybe even better? “
