The main objective of this trip was to follow the Saber2 project prototyping phase at the KY factory to confirm proper specifications. The Saber2 project – which now has the product name ‘Rush’ – was kicked off in March of 2019 with benchmarking and development at KATC. The Rush is intended to replace the Saber as Kenda’s fastest and lightest MTB/XC offering. During prototyping, initial designs are tested and adjusted until the tire meets the specifications of the lead engineer, which are intended to meet project goals. Other items in the agenda for trip include: overseeing building of any other samples for KATC, observe progress made on new manufacturing equipment including the BOM curing machines and triple-head-extruder, and discuss with KDTC new material capabilities.