Dextra Makes Enlightened Switch

With logistics operations and haulage companies continuing the quest to lower their outgoings in the face of heightened fuel costs, tyre management programs are competing to offer better value; providing greater efficiency – and therefore larger earnings potential – in addition to cost-cutting measures. ATS Euromaster has been particularly active within the market recently, this month announcing two new converts to the organisation’s fleet management service.

Dextra Lighting, the largest privately owned lighting manufacturer in the UK, is switching its entire commercial vehicle fleet to Michelin tyres in a move aimed at reducing its annual tyre expenditure. The company hopes that making the switch will lower costs by up to 10 per cent. The new fitment policy will be supported by a comprehensive service package from nationwide service provider ATS Euromaster.

The company’s fleet of 26 trucks are being fitted with new Michelin XZE tyres, as wear dictates. These tyres will then follow Michelin’s unique Four Lives tyre policy – a process which will see ATS Euromaster managing a proven routine of regrooving, remoulding, and then regrooving again to deliver maximum mileage performance and economy. This will be combined with a programme of routine tyre inspections to ensure optimum tyre condition, which will also help to ensure maximum tyre life and on-the-road safety, whilst protecting the company’s O-license.

Building on a 15 year relationship with ATS Euromaster, Dextra Lighting’s Logistics Manager, Tim Pickford, said the decision was based on Michelin’s reputation in the market and the experience ATS Euromaster has built-up in managing its tyres.

Pickford states that, “The key factors for us are durability, reliability and reduced whole-life tyre costs, with the premium Michelin tyres expected to deliver improvements across the board. Our vehicles each cover an average of 120,000 km a year, delivering light fittings throughout the UK and Ireland. Any savings we can make to our annual tyre bill will be reinvested into the business, which is growing from strength to strength.”

The new agreement sees Dextra Lighting switch to Michelin from a previously Dunlop-led tyre policy and will be managed by ATS Euromaster’s specialist truck centre in Shaftesbury. As part of the agreement, Dextra Lighting will have access to a fleet of mobile service vans which will carry out the majority of all new tyre fitting and associated service work on-site at its premises in Gillingham.

Dextra will also benefit from access to ATS Euromaster’s nationwide fleet of rapid-response vehicles, which are on standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to tyre related breakdowns.
Pallet-able switch

Bristol-based I.J. McGill Transport, a member of the Palletline network, has also appointed ATS Euromaster to manage the tyres across its fleet of 40 commercial vehicles and 45 trailers, with a move to fitting Michelin tyres as standard.

The new agreement replaces a previous Bridgestone contract managed by a local independent tyre dealer and will see ATS Euromaster work in partnership with I.J. McGill’s in-house maintenance team, supporting the complete fleet spectrum, from panel vans to 44 tonne tractor units.

Ian McGill, managing director of I.J. McGill Transport, states that, “Tyre management is critical to the efficient running of any commercial vehicle fleet, and through ATS Euromaster’s Web Reporter service we can now view up-to-date details and inspection reports concerning any aspect of our tyre contract at the click of a button.

“I am also confident that our new contract will deliver valuable efficiency gains, in terms of fuel savings through fitting lower rolling resistance Michelin tyres and a reduction in overall tyre expenditure by working closely with ATS Euromaster to manage our tyres more effectively,” he adds.

The new contract will see all Michelin tyres follow the complete Four Lives tyre policy. The policy also allows the company access to technicians equipped with state-of-the-art electronic data capture systems. Using the technology each tyre’s condition and tread depth is recorded onto a handheld computer, before being uploaded via mobile phone to a central database.