Yorkshire Company Clocks 700,000km on Michelin XDE2 Tyres

Michelin reports that East Riding Sacks has clocked up over 700,000km on a set of Michelin XDE2 drive axle tyres – the equivalent of over 535 journeys from Land’s End to John O’Groats. The tyres were fitted as original equipment to a Volvo FM9-300 in May 2003 and regrooved for the first time in May last year. When they were removed in April 2010 – to be replaced with a set of Michelin Remix tyres – they had covered 752,827 km.

Workshop manager John Suggitt says: “We always achieve a very good mileage with our Michelin XDE2 tyres as they are extremely durable and provide very even wear, but this is the first time a set has lasted quite so long.” The 26-tonne vehicle has been working five days a week since it joined the fleet, delivering paper sacks to customers all over the UK. It operates on a mixture of different road surfaces ranging from motorways to farm tracks.

East Riding Sacks has a 100 per cent Michelin policy and also follows the proven Michelin Four Lives package, which involves regrooving and remoulding tyres to achieve greater longevity from each Michelin casing. Once a tyre has been regrooved and worn down to the legal limit, the customer sends it back to Michelin’s Remix facility in Stoke-on-Trent for remoulding.

During this process the old rubber is stripped from the casing and fitted with a new tread band, together with new sidewall veneer, from bead to bead. The Remix tyres, as have just been fitted to the Volvo, offer a similar performance level to that of new Michelin tyres.

“We use Michelin tyres because of the exceptional tyre longevity and value for money they provide, coupled with the environmental benefits of the Four Lives package,” says Suggitt. “We find Michelin offers the best value on the market.”