Michelin Man Hits The Road With Boughey Distribution

The world-famous Michelin Man is hitching a ride on the back of 12 trailers in the Boughey Distribution fleet, to highlight the innovative X One MaxiTrailer tyres which have been fitted as original equipment on every one of the 160 new trailers which have joined the fleet since late 2007. The distinctive size of the 455/45 R 22.5 X One MaxiTrailer tyres gives the trailers a low profile look providing a low centre of gravity which has shown to improve stability.

Paul Brimelow, Group Fleet Engineer at Wardle-based Boughey Distribution, explains. “Since the trailers entered service we have clocked up nearly 20 million kilometres on X One Maxi Trailer tyres and other than occasional punctures and sidewall damage due to impact, we have suffered no tyre failures at all, which has resulted in an exceptional level of tyre reliability for our fleet.

“We are also very pleased with the mileage performance of the tyres which are meeting Michelin’s claim of up to a 50 per cent improvement over regular 385/65 R22.5 XTE2 trailer tyres. Our drivers have also reported that the handling characteristics of the trailers is much improved, specifically in relation to stability, with tramlining reduced to an absolute minimum,” adds Brimelow.

The eye-catching Michelin Man branding marks the first time Michelin has promoted its products on the back of a customer’s own trailers.  It celebrates the exceptional performance of the X One MaxiTrailer tyres in the Boughey fleet, which as an early-adopter, played a significant role in the new tyres being named winner of the Motor Transport Innovation of the Year award earlier this year.

Compared to a regular 385/65 R 22.5 XTE2 trailer tyre, the tread band is 120 millimetres wider and has 35 per cent more rubber in the compound.