Budd–Michelin rubber-tired rail cars which featured innovative and distinctive pneumatic tires. The company claimed that its application of tires on its rail cars afforded both a substantially more cushioned ride and increased the cars' traction by 35%. The design of Michelin's tired wheels included an aluminum safety ring and a flange that were only used in the event of a puncture or other type of tire failure; during normal operation, only the rubber tire made contact with the rail. Inspired by Michelin's success, the Budd Company set its sights on marrying the new rubber rail tires with its shot-welded, stainless-steel carbodies; it had developed
GRI Tires and Construction Tires. Both these types are often used for vehicles that perform heavy industrial work . Off the road tires produced by GRI are more durable tires built for surfaces such as sand, gravel, mud, rock and other off-road terrain. • 2002 – GRI introduces GLOBESTAR a standard solid tire to the market which runs with reduced heat build-up • 2003 – GRI opens its first off-shore sales offices in United States and France • 2008 – Introduces ULTIMATE XT, a premium-plus solid tire which consists of high abrasion resistance and tensile strength • 2008 – Launches THE PERFORMER,