Wisconsin-based Resilient Technologies has made a name for itself in recent years as a developer of non-pneumatic, airless tyres. Minnesota-based Polaris Industries, known as a manufacturer of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles, purchased Resilient Technologies in April 2012.
Upon acquiring Resilient Technologies, Polaris made the company a part of Polaris Defense, a division that manufactures combat-ready ATVs and other vehicles for the U.S. military.
“I would imagine it was our cutting-edge technology and our extensive experience with the military that got Polaris interested in us,” said Brian Meliska, lead engineer at Resilient Technologies. “The non-pneumatic tyre offers a lot of advantages over pneumatic tyres. Having a Polaris machine with these tyres is great because they give you better fuel economy and aren’t immediately stopped or impaired if they are damaged.”
Resilient Technologies launched in 2005 and developed its non-pneumatic tyre with a four-year, $18 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. Initially targeted for the military to use on the Humvee, the tyre consists of a honeycomb-like-design that features no air, but rather openings that cushion and absorb impact, allowing it to drive well on rough terrain.
“We supply Polaris with a 26-inch tyre that fits on two of their machines: the MV850 military ATV and the WV850, a similar vehicle but produced for consumer use,” Meliska said.
Resilient Technologies is continually tuning its current tyre for further applications, he said, and is looking into developing new tyres for other Polaris products.