Around the Bead Tracks Giant Mining Tyre from Tree to Mine

Published:

July 8, 2026

Author:

James Lockwood

Around the Bead has released a new documentary following the full production journey of a giant earthmover tyre, from natural rubber harvesting in southern Thailand to final installation at a working mine.

Produced with access from CMA / Double Coin Tires, the film gives tyre trade viewers a rare look inside the people, equipment and logistics behind off-the-road tyre manufacturing.

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A supply chain story, not just a factory tour

The film opens before the tyre reaches a production line, tracing its origin to rubber plantations in southern Thailand. That gives the documentary broader industry value than a standard factory video. It connects raw material supply, manufacturing skill, industrial equipment and mine-site service into one continuous tyre lifecycle.

Around the Bead says the project was designed to show more than the mechanical process. The producers describe the film as “a story about people, engineering, global logistics, manufacturing and craftsmanship”, positioning the tyre as a product shaped by both labour and technology.

Inside OTR tyre production

The documentary follows the tyre through key manufacturing stages, including natural rubber collection, mixing, tyre building, curing and final handling. It also shows large-scale industrial equipment, including Banbury mixers, precision tyre building systems and heavy curing presses.

For the tyre trade, that detail matters because giant mining tyres sit at the high-value end of the off-the-road sector. They are built for severe service, high loads and long operating hours. Manufacturing consistency, compound control and casing strength directly affect safety, uptime and operating cost.

Tyre News has recently covered the wider growth of the OTR market, including Yokohama Rubber’s planned OTR tyre plants in India and Mexico and Prinx Chengshan’s first 30.00R51 giant OTR tyre from a new intelligent factory. Those reports point to a market where capacity, technology and regional supply are becoming increasingly important.

Why it matters to mining fleets

Mining tyres are not commodity products. A single failure can affect production schedules, vehicle availability and site safety. The documentary’s mine-site installation sequence helps show why tyre service, handling and fitment are part of the value chain, not an afterthought.

That safety context is important. The Health and Safety Executive says tyre removal, replacement and inflation should only be carried out by competent staff, with hazards including sudden tyre failure and stored energy during inflation.

The feature also lands at a time when OTR suppliers are strengthening application-specific ranges. Tyre News recently reported on Bridgestone’s underground mining tyre range, developed for haulers and load-haul-dump machines operating in severe mine conditions.

A useful education piece for the trade

The film is not a product launch, and it should not be treated as one. Its value for Tyre News readers is educational. It gives distributors, fleet operators, service providers and tyre retailers a clearer view of what sits behind a giant OTR tyre before it reaches a quarry, mine or construction site.

It also reinforces the importance of transparency across the tyre supply chain. From natural rubber sourcing to curing and final fitment, the process shows how material selection, production discipline and field service all influence tyre performance.

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