Marangoni: Earthmover retreads are best

Retreaded earthmover (EM) tyres represent the most appropriate response to the demands of construction sites, mines, quarries and ports in terms of efficiency and cost effectiveness. That’s the view of retreading systems supplier Marangoni Group, which also highlights the fact that using them has a positive environmental influence. Luca Mai, executive sales manager of Marangoni Group’s Commercial & Earthmover Tyres division explained.

What are the crucial factors relating to EM tyre management and how does EM tyre retreading offer a competitive advantage? 

Luca Mai: When managing EM tyres, being able to maximise both the efficiency and return of the initial investment made at the time of purchase becomes the most important objective. Ultimately, it’s about being able to get the best hourly cost. In order to achieve this, being able to understand when and if a tyre can be retreaded and repaired becomes essential.

Europe’s general economic situation is on everyone’s mind and the need to save money has become imperative for all users. If correctly managed, even the largest tyre can be retreaded for less than 40 to 50 per cent of the cost of a new, premium tyre. This clearly represents a substantial amount in terms of savings for the user.

What about other low cost new tyre alternatives? 

LM: Some users have been enticed by these offers and consequently started using new, budget-quality EM tyres. This undoubtedly is a cheaper alternative to premium tyres in the short term, but it is not entirely satisfactory. In fact, a vast majority of those who have tried using such tyres have gone back to using premium brands after having experienced the poor performance they offered, and once then realised they could neither be repaired nor retreaded. 

What does Marangoni currently offer EM tyre users? 

LM: As I mentioned earlier, reducing the per-hour cost of tyres has now become one of the most important factors for those who work in mines, quarries, construction, and ports; second only to that of worker safety. Marangoni fully responds to every market need in terms of retreading technology and compounds by providing a range of 267 different products that are subdivided into 73 different sizes and 38 different patterns. In order to manage this very extensive range of products on all European markets, Marangoni relies on a network of specialists, who are able to offer a bespoke service and extremely competent counselling to its users, for the marketing of its retreaded EM tyres.

How does Marangoni demonstrate its expertise in this area?

LM: Marangoni offers different products for all the applications in which performance is paramount; such as the tyres developed for the loader of the MH Extra series, whose treads are 20 per cent deeper than the standard ones offered. A new product available as of February for the MLD pattern: in a 20.5×25 version.  Even in this case, we are talking about a deeper pattern (L4+) than the current ones offered on the market and with a specific compound that is perfectly suitable for tough work sites and waste disposal plants. We’ve also developed new products for the underground mining sector; such as the new smooth pattern, with a significantly thicker tread (L5S) and better performing compounds that comes in a 29.5×29 version. Another important market for us is that of tyres for articulated dumpers, for which we offer the most essential and popular sizes such as the 23.5R25, 26.5R25 and 29.5R25 as well as the MADN pattern; and for more extreme uses, we are able to offer various or specific pattern thanks to our Recaflex production. 

What about oversized tyres?

LM: For the rigid dumper business, our range goes up to a measurement of 36.00R51 for dumpers with a load capacity of over 100 tons. We are able to offer various compounds depending on the various market applications: from compounds that are especially formulated to withstand cuts, such as the W2, to those that offer a maximum amount of resistance against heat and high velocity, such as the H1. We can therefore retread the various products according to the different needs and requirements of the work site. In this specific segment, where the shortage of new, premium radial tyres seems to be particularly significant, the use of our retreaded tyres prevents the user from having to keep his equipment out of service or from purchasing tyres at prohibitive prices.

What about other applications? 

LM: We have successfully been retreading tyres for the industries/ports that handle containers for some years now; with particular reference to those that come in sizes such as 18.00-25 and 18.00-33 (in the MRL pattern), which were specifically developed for the retreading of high-quality diagonal casings with low resistance and high resistance against abrasion compounds (providing users with an excellent solution in terms of the returns they get back on their investment). Furthermore, we are developing a retreaded product that can be used on straddle carriers.  Some users are currently testing it and it comes in a 16.00R25 version.

Why Marangoni retreads?

LM: You should remember that 100 per cent of the Marangoni retreads are produced at the Rovereto facility, whose production processes were awarded with the ISO 14001 environmental certification and where – among other things – the group’s entire R&D department was consolidated into a new Research Centre: a centre where we also offer training programmes to our clients with specific courses on knowledge of EM tyres, applications and maintenance to optimise performance. We also offer training and consulting on how to test casings or to repair tyres for those who need it.

Finally, I believe that it’s essential to acknowledge the environment, which offers an ever more convincing argument in favour of tyre retreading. We want to provide an adequate response to all of our environmental needs. As citizens of this world, we are responsible for its future, which can be improved by working together towards a cleaner environment and by making better use (and re-use) of our available natural resources. Retreading gives a tyre a second or even a third life, in some cases, which leads to considerable savings in terms of raw materials. 

The advantageous relationship that exists between the individual user and the environment, which is favourable for us all, is – in my opinion – the retread business’ winning card.