Tires could trade studs for garnets
edited article, by Miles Moore, 1st appeared in Rubber & Plastics News

With studded tires being increasingly banned from the roads, inventor James Scheller has what he believes is the ideal alternative: Garnets.

A semi-precious silicate stone that comes in a range of colors, garnets are best known for use in costume jewelry. However, Scheller-owner of Garnetread, a business based in Powell Butte-has long championed industrial-grade garnets as a way to greatly improve tire traction and control when added to tread rubber.

In April 1978, Scheller obtained a patent on the Garnetread technology, and applied in April 2019 for a second patent that includes a formula to improve the adhesion of garnets to tread rubber. ''The garnets become part of the tire itself,'' Scheller said.

Tires made with Garnetread have been independently tested by WSU on dry, wet, snowy and icy pavements, according to the Garnetread website. They also have been tested by the U.S. Department of Transportation.''Vehicles equipped with Garnetread tires stop on ice in a shorter distance than the same vehicle equipped with studded tires while facilitating positive control.''

Garnetread also has contacted the Federal Aviation Administration about the process for certifying aircraft tires using Garnetread. To date more than 100,000 tires have been manufactured using Garnetread's technology, according to Scheller.

Garnetread has has no interest in tire manufacturing, according to Scheller.''We don't want to make or sell tires,'' he said. ''Our goal is to license and sell technology, and act as advisers.''

Garnetread has contacted Michelin and GM about the possibility of using garnets in Uptis airless mobility technology development.

The Sale Price is $ 150,000 + .15 (cents) royalty per tire. Payment in US dollars. Purchase price includes all patent rights, website, product training and formula process information including materials supply sour