Quayside Frozen Foods Ltd Choose Michelin High Grip Fitment

Newcastle-based Quayside Frozen Foods Ltd has started fitting Michelin XFN2 Anti-Splash tyres onto the steer axles of its 26 tonne Volvo FM9s and reports that the company has noticed a significant increase in grip whilst driving in wet and slushy conditions.

Incorporating elements of Michelin’s Durable Technologies, the XFN2 Anti-Splash features patented three-dimensional double wave sipes which makes the tread block more rigid, thereby helping combine enhanced tread wear with excellent on-road grip. This tyre also features an anti-splash deflector which dramatically reduces the projection of water when the truck is driven on wet roads.

Peter McDermott, Transport Manager at Quayside Frozen Foods, explains: “Initially we instructed ATS Euromaster to fit the new XFN2 tyres onto just one vehicle, but this has proved so successful that we are now rolling it out as the standard specification across the fleet.

“Our drivers have reported that the tyres significantly improve grip, which in turn leads to shorter stopping distances. They also maximise visibility on wet roads, by reducing the amount of water which splashes up over the mirrors and side windows. This has the added advantage of helping to keep the trucks looking cleaner for longer, which is especially important as our day glow yellow livery is particularly prone to showing dirt,” he adds.

Official tests conducted by Michelin have shown the new Anti-Splash tyres are so effective that the height of water projection is reduced by a factor of four compared to that of a standard truck tyre. The reduction in splash is made possible by the introduction of a deflector into the tyre’s design, which comprises a small horizontal rib on the shoulder between the sidewall and the tread of the tyre. This is sufficient to deflect the splash back down towards the road surface rather than up onto the sides of the truck and onto the windscreens of passing cars.

Quayside Frozen Foods operates an eight-strong fleet of 26 tonne Volvo FM9 rigids, each covering up to 100,000 km a year, distributing frozen produce nationwide.