“Alliance F344 ELIT – the best tires we’ve ever had,” according to forestry contractors from Germany

September 13, 2019 << Back to Blog

“Alliance F344 ELIT – the best tires we’ve ever had,” according to forestry contractors from Germany

13 Sep

September 13, 2019

Alexander and Rolf Kohler – are world’s pioneers in operating on low pressure forestry tires. They have been working on Alliance F344 ELIT tires for 7 years already, long before its official launch in 2018.

Kohler brothers operate a traditional forestry business in the southwest German town of Bopfingen. When working in the forest, including logging, they place their faith in the world’s first low inflation tires Alliance F344 ELIT (800/40 – 26.5), which have clocked up 12,000 operating hours over the last seven years.

Aleksander and Rolf Kohler have been operating on Alliance F344 ELIT tires since 2012

The qualified machinist Alexander Kohler and his brother Rolf, a farmer by trade, have been running their business Kohler GbR on the eastern periphery of Baden-Württemberg in Germany since 1994. “Handed down from our father, the business takes professional care of all kinds of forestry work, from felling and logging to timber trading,” explains Alexander.

The brothers perform logging operations in spruce, beech, fir and mixed stands with an HSM 208F forwarder. “The tires are a major factor in this context because we want to reduce the harm being done to the skid trails and forest tracks,” he continues. “The Alliance F344 ELIT low inflation tire is ideal for the work we perform – I would say that it’s the best we’ve ever had.” Compared with standard tires or tracks, it causes less damage and carries less soil out of the forest. According to Alexander Kohler, “We have received favorable feedback from numerous estate owners, confirming that our operations are kinder to the ground.”

Forwarder HSM 208F on Alliance F344 ELIT tires

1.5 bar is plenty!

“When we first acquired a set of F344 ELIT tires, we were skeptical about running with pressure of just 1.5 bar. We knew we could have confidence in Alliance, however, and decided to give them a try,” remarks Alexander. He says that he ultimately tested the tires in both wet and dry conditions, and in a variety of regions. “The results were impressive. Thanks to the F344 ELIT, we were able to avoid the use of bogie tracks on wet ground for a longer period than other foresters,” insists Alexander. He also needed the bogie tracks less often, which saved time and money and reaped logistical rewards.

Alliance F344 ELIT (800/40 – 26.5) after over 12 000 hours (7 years) of work

Review after 12,000 operating hours

“The most important factor in our sector is the ability to work reliably and competitively in any location and in the most diverse soil conditions,” says Alexander. Stressing the tires’ dependability, he comments, “Having operated with the same set of Alliance F344 ELIT tires for 12,000 hours, we are pleased to confirm that they do the job, and do it perfectly.” Looking back at over seven years of service, he reports that the tires have not given any downtime or problems at all.

Watch a video about the experience of Kohler brothers with Alliance F344 ELIT tires