Michelin Supports Gerry Jones European Freight Expansion

Considering an expansion of its services into new European territories, Gwent-based haulier Gerry Jones Transport was faced with the problem of height restrictions that ruled out its trailers’ conventional setup. The company’s solution is to fit the Michelin X One MaxiTrailer as original equipment on five new Wilson curtainside tri-axle trailers. They say that with a lower profile sidewall than traditional 385/65 R 22.5 tyres, the new tyres offer a reduced ride height of 20cm, therefore allowing increased volumes of nine cubic metres within 40-tonne limits. The tyres will therefore allow Gerry Jones to provide six additional services each week in France, Belgium and Holland.

Managing director of his eponymously titled organisation Gerry Jones comments: “X One MaxiTrailer tyres allow us to operate with additional loads in mainland Europe, where we cannot take our traditional trailers, fitted with 385/65 R 22.5 tyres, because four metre height restrictions apply. The biggest benefit to us in the current climate is that we can now offer customers new services to destinations that we have previously not been able to reach with our fleet.”

Michelin says the tyre is designed to deliver up to 50 per cent more mileage than standard 385/65 R 22.5 XTE2 tyres; the new 455/45 R 22.5 X One MaxiTrailer tyre is made with the manufacturer’s Infinicoil architecture, a major part of the Michelin Durable Technologies innovation strategy. This consists, says Michelin, of a 400m steel cord wrapped continuously around the crown. Compared to a Michelin 385/65 R 22.5 trailer tyre, the tread band is also 120 millimetres wider and has 35 per cent more rubber in the tread compound, which is responsible for increasing the mileage potential of each tyre by up to 50 per cent, again according to Michelin.

Jones adds: “Over the years we have looked at so-called budget tyres that claim to save you money, but they never deliver long-term savings. Michelin tyres always deliver class-leading performance and economy over incredible mileages and are also more resilient to damage – something we expect the X One MaxiTrailer to match. We adopted an all-new Michelin policy a few years ago as it gives us total peace of mind. Customers demand a first class service and unexpected downtime is unacceptable.”

The Michelin X One MaxiTrailer tyre is primarily available for fitment as original equipment on new trailers manufactured across Europe, and when fitted to most conventional or mega-volume trailers, the manufacturer claims it can offer increased load volumes of between five and nine cubic metres due to its low profile design. 

Gerry Jones Transport has also become one of the first hauliers in the country to fit Michelin’s new Multiway XD tyres. Specified on its latest MAN tractor units, the Multiway XD is said by the manufacturer to deliver up to 19 per cent more grip on wet and slippery surfaces, improved braking performance and increased mileage potential compared to Michelin XDE 2+ drive axle tyres.

“Fitting Michelin tyres pays dividends time after time as I know that when the fleet is out on the road I don’t have to worry about failures. We benchmark other brands from time to time, but they never perform as well as Michelin,” concludes Jones.