TreadSure is the world's first agriculture tire tread depth app that could save you thousands on evaluation.
Combine Company Highlight: TreadSure
The Combine has numerous companies working through the AgTech Incubator Programming and wants to individually showcase each company. The second company we are highlighting is TreadSure.
Hear from the Chief Executive Officer of TreadSure, Eric MacPherson. Eric was working on a farm in Gothenburg, Nebraska, and when hourly labor wasn’t paying the bills, him and his wife decided to try something else. A local tire shop had recently closed so they closed their eyes and jumped in! Through hard work, a lot of prayer and colossal amounts of good luck, Dawson Tire & Wheel has grown into the premier provider of ag tires and wheels with locations in key areas to service the ag equipment dealer business. Dawson Tire differentiates as leaders in the ag tire and wheel market by knowledge, responsiveness, and accuracy with a goal to always respond to customers within an hour of their inquiry.
What problem are you solving?
The re-used ag and heavy machine industry has seen a recent boom with catalogs, auctions, and marketplace leveraging the internet and mobile phones. Improved user experience and digital access has allowed agribusinesses to view up to date listings for tractors, combines, applicators, tillage and planting equipment across their respective region with filters to help narrow their search. Additionally, when a producer is interested in selling equipment the process to list an item for sale has never been easier.
One of the most critical variables in a piece of equipment listing value is the estimated value of its tires. New tires for some pieces of equipment can cost upwards to $5,000 each. The value difference on a piece of equipment with 80-90% wear life vs. one with 30-40% wear life can be upwards of $30,000.
Placing the wrong value on tires can stall a sale, make equipment sit on the lot for extended periods of time, and cost the dealership thousands to replace the tires. Misjudging the value on tires can be more significant than one might think. The value range on tires for a 4WD tractor can be over $40,000.
Poor tire appraisal work and inaccurate estimates lead to dissatisfied purchasers who have overpaid for a piece of equipment with over worn tires or frustrated sellers who have under priced their item after taking good care of the equipment. There is a currently critical need for improved access to more accurate tire pricing estimates.
How does TreadSure solve this problem?
TreadSure® puts money saving information in the palm of your hand to help you properly evaluate your ag tires. This could result in thousands of dollars saved when used appropriately. It is like having a tire expert in your pocket!
TreadSure connects ag equipment dealers with accurate and up to date tread depth information such as wear percentage in respect to original condition and resale value. This product will enable consistent and accurate tire appraisals through the application of digital technology. Additionally, the software solution of data books eliminates labor intensive searching through paper and online product catalogs.
Eric recently did a webinar with Farm Equipment about How to Properly Evaluate Ag Tires When Trading Equipment, if you're interested in watching, click here.
How did TreadSure get started?
Dawson Tire & Wheel's main customers are equipment dealers. Eric saw many dealers frustrated in how tread depth was currently being valued. While Dawson Tire offered trainings with sales people on how to properly value these tires and developed charts with popular sizes of tires and tread information, Eric knew there had to be a better way. After many conversations with dealers, he decided to create a standardized way for tread to be measured on agriculture tires.
What is TreadSure's Mission Statement?
"Helping people grow." This mission statement evolved out of Dawson's Mission Statement.
What are you most excited about to come?
Overall, I am excited to help ag dealers solve a problem without it coming with a big price tag.
How has your experience been with The Combine?
"The Combine has been awesome. I didn't realize that the state of Nebraska has so many resources to springboard ideas for startups... I've been blown away by the program...
In entrepreneurship, there are a lot of times that you don't know what to do or where to go and it gets lonely... so it's great to work with a program that has resources and can provide direction."
- Eric MacPherson, CEO & Owner of TreadSure
The Combine Incubator has been honored to work with TreadSure. It has been inspiring to see the idea transition into a reality, and the team cannot wait to see what is to come for TreadSure. If you'd like to learn more, visit TreadSure's website: https://treadsure.app/.
What is The Combine?
Invest Nebraska’s Combine Incubator is a statewide initiative focused on supporting high-growth agri-food entrepreneurs through mentoring, commercialization support, physical incubation space on Nebraska's Innovation Campus, and a network of supporting farmers and ranchers across the state. Invest Nebraska is a private, non-profit statewide venture development organization focused on high-growth companies in Nebraska and growing the state’s entrepreneurial economy. Invest Nebraska works directly with entrepreneurs, researchers, and companies to help commercialize their technologies, launch and grow new businesses, and access needed capital.