‘Fendering’ & ‘Tyre Hire’ two focus areas for Kal Tire
An area of focus for UK company OTR since its integration into the Kal Tire group is the further development of the ‘fendering’ process for its tyres. As Wayne Cornell, Kal Tire’s UK & Africa manufacturing manager explains, “the sidewall of a tyre is a large exposed area and, at the same time, is the thinnest part of the tyre. In harsh working environments this area is more susceptible to damage as the sidewall makes contact with objects – so the logical solution has always been to protect the sidewall i.e. fendering.”
The company has thus introduced a new and improved fendering process. “Without going into too much detail, we have gone from the initial manually applied ‘slab’ process to a totally automated ‘strip build’ process, allowing for a continuous compound application, with width and depth of rubber to suit vehicle and working environment,” Cornell states. Many of those taking advantage of fendering are retreading customers – the company’s retreading facility in Alfreton has the capacity to retread tyres up to 57-inches in diameter – yet other customers are also seeing the process’s benefits: “With results proving so positive, we are now regularly being asked to ‘fender’ new, first-life tyres, especially for the harsher working environments – steelworks, scrap yards, the harsher quarries etc – our fendering process is the logical solution.”
Promoting ‘Tyre Hire’ at RWM
At the upcoming Recycling & Waste Management exhibition in Birmingham, Kal Tire will, along with its range of new and retreaded solid, cushion and pneumatic tyres, demonstrate the benefits of Tyre Hire, a service it has introduced exclusively for the waste management industry. “We have been working with our customers in the waste industry for many years, addressing their key problem areas – punctures, downtime and wear rates – which all add up to tyre cost per hour,” elaborates Steve Clipperton, Kal Tire’s waste industry manager. “Our management solutions – no matter what size of organisation – are focused on that key issue.”
Kal Tire says its tyre management is bespoke – suited to site, vehicles and organisation, with responsibility for tyres placed with Kal Tire. Through regular onsite inspections, tyre wear and usage is monitored, tyres rotated, changed, repaired or retreaded to reduce tyre operating costs and maximise tyre life. Offered on a fixed term, fixed cost basis, Kal Tires says its tyre management service is designed to suit the customers requirements no matter how large or how small, how diverse or remote the operation.
“Kal Tire have the ability to offer the customer ‘peace of mind’, with the knowledge that tyre service is being handled safely, efficiently and cost effectively,” Clipperton concluded.
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