Kleber Tyre Company

Kleber is a French tyre brand and tyre manufacturing business within the Michelin Group. Its roots date to 1910, when it was established as Société Française B.F. Goodrich, the French subsidiary of the American tyre manufacturer B.F. Goodrich. The company subsequently developed as a French tyre producer and became associated with the Kleber name after moving its headquarters to Avenue Kléber in Paris in 1945. It adopted the name Kléber-Colombes during that period, reflecting both its Parisian address and its industrial identity. The brand’s early history includes a notable technical development. In 1951, Kleber introduced a tyre with an integral inner tube, an innovation that formed part of its effort to distinguish itself through tyre design and practical vehicle technology. Kleber later gained visibility in motorsport. In 1981, its tyres were used by rally driver Michèle Mouton, who finished runner-up in that year’s World Rally Championship. The same year marked a decisive ownership change: Michelin acquired the company, bringing Kleber into one of the world’s major tyre groups. Under Michelin ownership, Kleber has operated as a distinct brand rather than as a separate publicly listed company. It occupies a mid-range position in the European tyre market, combining the manufacturing and technical resources associated with the Michelin Group with a more accessible brand proposition. The brand is particularly established in France, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Its market presence covers replacement tyres and selected original-equipment applications, with Kleber tyres reported as being used by vehicle manufacturers including Peugeot, Renault, and Volkswagen. Kleber’s passenger-vehicle portfolio includes summer, all-season, and winter tyres. The Dynaxer line serves summer driving, while Quadraxer products address year-round use. The Krisalp range is designed for winter conditions. The product portfolio also extends beyond passenger cars to SUVs and agricultural machinery. Agricultural products include the Traker, Topker, Gripker, Fitker, and Super Vigne ranges, which are intended for equipment such as tractors, telehandlers, and crop sprayers. This agricultural focus is an important part of the brand’s identity and market activity. In 2024, Kleber promoted work connected with sustainability and rural development through a partnership with French agricultural cooperatives. The brand also became involved in Michelin Group circular-economy initiatives, including tyre recycling and the use of bio-based materials. In 2025, promotional activity in the United Kingdom and Ireland highlighted Kleber’s agricultural range, focusing on durability and fuel efficiency. These activities indicate an effort to connect the brand’s established agricultural position with environmental and operational concerns facing modern farming. Kleber is therefore best understood as an active European tyre brand within Michelin’s broader multi-brand portfolio. Its principal strengths are its French heritage, broad application coverage, mid-market positioning, and specialization in agricultural tyres alongside passenger-car products.

Kleber’s history begins in 1910 with the creation of Société Française B.F. Goodrich, a French subsidiary of the American tyre manufacturer B.F. Goodrich. The company was established to develop a French industrial and commercial presence for the B.F. Goodrich tyre business. Over time, it became an independent French tyre operation with its own manufacturing and brand identity. A major change came in 1945, when the company moved its headquarters to Avenue Kléber in Paris. The address influenced its new identity, and the business adopted the name Kléber-Colombes. This period established the Kleber name as a French tyre brand rather than merely a local subsidiary of an American manufacturer. The company continued to develop products for road vehicles and pursued technical improvements in tyre construction. In 1951, Kleber introduced a tyre with an integral inner tube. The product represented an early example of the company’s efforts to apply design and construction innovations to practical motoring needs. Although the brand later became part of a larger international group, this technical milestone remains part of its historical development. Kleber also achieved public visibility through motorsport. In 1981, rally driver Michèle Mouton used Kleber tyres and finished second in the World Rally Championship. Motorsport exposure helped associate the brand with performance and demanding driving conditions. The year was also important for corporate ownership: Michelin acquired Kleber in 1981. Following the acquisition, Kleber became one of the brands within Michelin’s broader tyre portfolio. In the decades that followed, Kleber maintained a position in the European replacement-tyre market. Its range expanded across summer, winter, and all-season passenger tyres, while the brand also served SUV applications. Kleber developed a particularly important presence in agricultural tyres, with products designed for tractors, telehandlers, and crop sprayers. This agricultural activity broadened the brand beyond ordinary passenger-vehicle replacement tyres and gave it a specialized role in rural and agricultural markets. Kleber’s principal European markets include France, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The brand has also been associated with original-equipment applications for manufacturers such as Peugeot, Renault, and Volkswagen. Its market proposition has generally been described as mid-range: it offers a distinct brand identity and broad product coverage while operating with the support and ownership of Michelin. In 2024, Kleber’s public activity included a sustainability and rural-development partnership with French agricultural cooperatives. The initiative promoted more environmentally responsible farming practices. During the same year, Kleber was connected with Michelin’s circular-economy work, including tyre recycling and the development or use of bio-based materials. These activities placed the agricultural business within wider environmental and resource-efficiency discussions. In 2025, Kleber promoted its agricultural range in the United Kingdom and Ireland, emphasizing durability and fuel efficiency. The campaign reflected the practical concerns of agricultural operators, for whom tyre service life, operating costs, and machine efficiency are central purchasing considerations. Kleber consequently continues to operate as an active Michelin-owned brand with two linked identities: a European passenger-tyre supplier and a significant agricultural-tyre specialist.

• 2025

  UK and Ireland agricultural-range promotion

  [1]Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Kleber promoted its agricultural tyres in the UK and Ireland with messaging centered on durability and fuel efficiency.

• 2024

  Sustainability and circular-economy activities expanded

  [1]Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Kleber promoted agricultural-cooperative work on eco-friendly farming and participated in Michelin circular-economy initiatives.

• 1981

  Acquired by Michelin

  [1]Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Michelin acquired Kleber, which became part of its multi-brand tyre group.

• 1981

  Motorsport visibility through Michèle Mouton

  [1]Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Michèle Mouton used Kleber tyres while finishing runner-up in the World Rally Championship.

• 1951

  Integral-inner-tube tyre introduced

  [1]Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Kleber introduced a tyre incorporating an integral inner tube.

• 1945

  Headquarters moved to Avenue Kléber

  [1]Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company moved its headquarters to Avenue Kléber in Paris and adopted the name Kléber-Colombes.

• 1910

  Company founded as Société Française B.F. Goodrich

  [1]Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The business was established as the French subsidiary of American tyre manufacturer B.F. Goodrich.

A mid-range European tyre brand within the Michelin Group, combining passenger-vehicle coverage with a significant agricultural-tyre business.

• Summer passenger-car tyre

  Dynaxer HP4

  Dynaxer HP4 is part of Kleber’s summer passenger-vehicle range. It belongs to the brand’s road-tyre portfolio for motorists seeking a dedicated warm-weather product.

• Summer passenger-car tyre

  Dynaxer HP5

  Dynaxer HP5 is a summer tyre in Kleber’s Dynaxer family. The line forms part of the brand’s passenger-car offering for conventional road use during warmer seasons.

• All-season passenger-car tyre

  Quadraxer 2

  Quadraxer 2 is an all-season product intended to provide year-round coverage for passenger vehicles. It represents Kleber’s approach to motorists seeking one tyre type for changing seasonal conditions.

• All-season passenger-car tyre

  Quadraxer 3

  Quadraxer 3 is a later all-season member of Kleber’s Quadraxer range. It extends the brand’s year-round passenger-vehicle offering.

• Winter passenger-car tyre

  Krisalp HP3

  Krisalp HP3 is Kleber’s winter passenger-car tyre line. It is designed for motorists who use a dedicated winter product in colder or more demanding seasonal conditions.

• Agricultural tyre

  Traker

  Traker is part of Kleber’s agricultural tyre portfolio, serving agricultural machinery applications and contributing to the brand’s specialist position in the farming sector.

• Agricultural tyre

  Topker

  Topker is an agricultural tyre range for farm machinery. It sits within Kleber’s broader portfolio for tractors and related agricultural equipment.

• Agricultural tyre

  Gripker

  Gripker is an agricultural tyre product family associated with traction-oriented farming applications. It is part of Kleber’s range for agricultural machinery.

• Agricultural tyre

  Fitker

  Fitker belongs to Kleber’s agricultural tyre offering. The range supports the brand’s coverage of machinery used in farming and rural operations.

• Agricultural vineyard tyre

  Super Vigne

  Super Vigne is an agricultural tyre range associated with vineyard applications. It reflects Kleber’s focus on specialized rural equipment as well as general agricultural machinery.

• 2025Agricultural range promotion

  United Kingdom · Ireland

  Kleber promoted its agricultural tyre range with messaging focused on durability and fuel efficiency for farming users.

  Outcome. The available material does not report campaign performance figures.

  Source
• 2024Eco-friendly farming and rural-development partnership

  France

  Kleber promoted a partnership with French agricultural cooperatives to encourage eco-friendly farming practices and reinforce its role in rural development.

  Outcome. A quantitative commercial or environmental outcome was not reported in the available material.

  Source

• 2024

  Greater emphasis on sustainability and circularityStrategy

  Background

  The tyre industry was addressing resource use, recycling, bio-based materials, and environmental impacts in agriculture.

  Action taken

  Kleber promoted agricultural-cooperative work on eco-friendly farming and participated in Michelin circular-economy initiatives involving recycling and bio-based materials.

  Aftermath

  The available material identifies the initiatives but does not provide measured financial or environmental results.

  Source

• 1981

  Michelin acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Kleber was an established French tyre business with passenger-vehicle and specialist applications.

  Action taken

  Michelin acquired the company and incorporated Kleber into its wider tyre-brand portfolio.

  Aftermath

  Kleber continued as a Michelin-owned tyre brand rather than an independently listed company.

  Source

1. 1Kleber Tyre Companyen.wikipedia.org