Taking a Leaf Out of the Dutch Book

Michelin has announced that it plans to compete in the UK’s developing cold-weather tyre market. And the fact that the French company has brought in Dutchman Frank Tanke to head the campaign gives a clear indication of how seriously the manufacturer is taking its latest marketing project. After all, the weather in the Netherlands is not a lot different to the UK, and yet 12 per cent of the total Dutch market is made up of cold-weather sales.

For years industry associations, manufacturers and distributors (not to mention trade publications) have discussed the possibility of developing a winter tyre market in the UK. At first it didn’t appear to get much further than talking and suggestions like this have been rejected because “we don’t get much snow in Britain.”

However, due in no small part to the efforts of manufacturers including Continental and Vredestein, the subject did not melt away like the frost. Instead the last 18 months have seen some activity around what is now known as the cold weather tyre market. The news that one of the world’s largest manufacturers wants to get involved is sure to be seen as a positive step by those who already understand the benefits that a cold weather tyre market can bring.

Although the suggestion that Michelin will throw its hat into the cold-weather ring may come as a surprise to some readers, the company insists that it has been planning the move for some time. Frank Tanke reports that Michelin Plc took this decision in January and has been going through a period of preparation since then.

“When I came to the UK, I was amazed to see that there wasn’t very much [regarding cold weather tyres] going on in the UK,” Mr Tanke told T&A. So, in order to improve that situation, Michelin plans to help educate the market through trade press activity, consultation with industry bodies including the NTDA and the TIC.
The company also plans to utilise the Dutch inspired “when there is an R in the month” strategy, while focusing on the safety benefits of these tyres below seven degrees Celsius and in the wet. “Below seven degrees is really key. When I talk to people about cold weather, if I want them to remember just one thing, that’s it.”

In terms of supply, Michelin has decided to abandon its policy of ordering cold-weather products from France on a case-by-case basis, in favour of storing the products in UK.

Up until now, Michelin’s winter tyre sales have been “virtually nil” according to Mr Tanke. So how does the company plan to compete with the UK’s existing winter players?

Firstly there is the company’s reputation. Customers in the north of the country have already stated their interested in stocking Michelin branded winter products, even though they haven’t been able to get hold of any before.

Then there are the fleets. Michelin claims that it has agreed trial-period fitments for a handful of smaller fleets. The company declined to give any more details. This marks a significant step forward for the UK cold-weather market as, so far, such a move is unprecedented.

Finally there is commitment. Frank Tanke reports that Michelin aims to try-out its plans for the winter market for at least two years before making a final decision. While some would see this as a brave move, others might see it as cautious. Either way, Mr Tanke is confident about the outcome. “I don’t think its just a test. I think it will work,” he stated.

The products

Michelin says that a range of its products, including van and 4×4 cold weather products are already available. These even include Zero Pressure and PAX cold weather variants. However, the company’s cold weather product portfolio will focus on its Alpin and Pilot Alpin lines.

According to Michelin the Alpin was developed in order to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding winter and cold-weather tyre market. As you might expect, the Alpin’s performance is most noticeable below seven degrees. In these conditions wet braking distances are reportedly reduced by up to six metres at 40mph, compared with an equivalent summer tyre.

The Alpin retains its flexibility at low temperatures due to an advanced compound, says Michelin. This is able to grip cold, wet roads thanks to a system of “micro-distortions” in the rubber that adhere to the irregularities in the road’s surface. This is aided in heavy rain by wide central and transversal channels that expel standing water and allow the tread to grip the road surface. In addition linear sipes are said to improve grip on snow, and on ice.

In dry conditions, Michelin reports that its Bi-Directional Sipe System (BDS System) of locking tread blocks resists distortion, the cause of the floating sensation and lack of turn-in response normally associated with winter tyres.

Intended for family vehicles and compact passenger cars, the Michelin Alpin is ‘T’ rated and is currently available in 18 sizes, for wheel diameters from 14 to 16 inches, covering 40 per cent of the winter tyre market.

Pilot Alpin

The Pilot Alpin represents the second part of Michelin’s two-pronged attack on the UK cold-weather tyre market. Michelin sees the Pilot Alpin as its high-performance cold weather alternative, which “sets new standards of winter and cold-weather driving performance and safety, whatever the road conditions.”
According to company literature, the “Pilot Alpin is not only the benchmark on wet, icy or snow-covered roads, but also retains its high levels of performance on dry road surfaces.”

On wet roads the Pilot Alpin is said to reduces braking distance by up to two metres, compared with previous generations of the product. Another advantage of this new silica based rubber compound is that when combined with the casing structure of the Pilot Alpin, it is said to reduce rolling resistance and offer up to five per cent reduction in fuel consumption compared with the previous Pilot Alpin.

Michelin claims that in dry conditions the Pilot Alpin’s Pilot Sport derived casing ensures excellent handling and grip. Furthermore the product’s new sipe structure is said to reduce braking distance by up to a metre on icy roads, against its predecessor. The company also explains that sipe length is increased by up to 40 per cent compared with its predecessor, and these sipes break the film of water on the ice, allowing the tyre to gain more grip on the slippery surface. This additional sipe length also provides unrivalled traction on snow-covered roads.

The Michelin Pilot Alpin is available in 27 ‘H’ rated, 21 ‘V’ rated and four ‘W’ rated sizes.