Complete package attractive to fleets – Bridgestone

While a durable, high-performing tyre is of utmost importance to a fleet manager’s decision making process, Bridgestone believes that the ‘power of the product’ only goes so far. It says other key factors are increasingly being considered and are proving equally compelling when customers mull over the most suitable manufacturer to opt for.

“In many ways, the integrity of the tyre itself only tells half the story,” comments Bridgestone’s marketing manager, Andy Mathias. “The market is generally well blessed in this regard, with our R-Steer 001 and R-Drive 001 tyres for regional application amongst the very best in versatile usage and high-level performance.”

Mathias shares that although the UK market is congested, there are very few tyre manufacturers that can offer a true fleet tyre solution package. Bridgestone’s strategy in this regard is to form tyre partnerships with fleet customers through its Total Tyre Care approach. “Our Total Tyre Care maintenance service for fleet customers aims to cut tyre bills dramatically while maximising performance. These are the added services that fleets are becoming more interested in,” he adds.

Bridgestone claims Total Tyre Care offers fleets two main benefits – optimal fuel consumption and reduced breakdowns. Under Total Tyre Care, businesses can retain tight control over tyre-related costs, courtesy of a number of services that are tailored to meet the needs of fleet operators. Total Tyre Care is available in two customisable contracts – the all-in fixed price/km Comfort4Fleet and the on-demand, itemised Flex4Fleet approach. Therefore, fleet operators can choose the most suitable solution for their individual needs.

The perennial issue of tyre casings is also becoming increasingly prevalent amongst fleets, Mathias adds. Indeed, as more than 50 per cent of Bridgestone’s total commercial tyre sales come from retreaded products, a superior casings supply system is essential in order to combat a growing problem for the industry. And in this area, Bridgestone lays claim to being the best: “When it comes to casings, there is a continuous struggle. At Bridgestone, we are ahead of our competitors in that we have a range of sources that ensures a good continuity of supply,” shares Terry Salter, retread development manager for Bridgestone UK. Salter opines that Bridgestone’s supply of casings, with more than 130,000 received at its Bulldog factory in Bourne alone each year, is a huge positive for the brand.

In conclusion to the question of value for fleet customers, Mathias reveals Bridgestone’s formula: “We are very well placed to meet the demands of the market with two well respected brands – our premium Bridgestone products and the value Firestone line. Meanwhile, our Total Tyre Care package supplements these products, promising considerable savings from both a cost and time perspective.”

Label ‘doesn’t resonate’ with fleets

Mathias also reflects on the efficacy of the European Union’s tyre labelling legislation a year after its market debut. He says Bridgestone believes labelling’s focus on wet grip and fuel efficiency is a narrow one, and a focus that doesn’t currently resonate with fleets. “How useful labelling is to truck fleet managers is open to debate,” he continues. “The label values are obviously quoted upfront, but what it’s going to cost them on a pence/kilometre basis seems to be a more interesting factor.

“Fleets are trying to reduce costs as much as possible, and we have recently seen an increase in fleets wishing to undertake joint fuel trials on our Ecopia Truck Tyre products,” adds Mathias.