Fresh veg delivered on time, thanks to Michelin

Vegetable grower, packer and distributor Huntapac Produce has renewed its Effitires by Michelin solutions contract for three years, trusting the tyre management package to help the family-run firm deliver excellent customer service – and fresh produce – all-year-round.

The price-per-kilometre (PPK) deal covers 100 per cent of the company’s mixed fleet of 58 Iveco, Scania and Volvo tractor units, plus 63 refrigerated and 41 tipper trailers.

Huntapac Produce fleet manager John Bell says: “Renewing our Effitires contract with Michelin solutions is a no-brainer. We’ve come to greatly appreciate the proactive nature of the programme: you simply can’t afford delays when delivering fresh produce to customers across the country, and we’ve seen tyre-related downtime drop across the fleet since we first signed up.

“Things simply get sorted when you’re on the Effitires programme; taking a load off our minds and helping us focus on delivering goods on time, while ensuring the cold chain remains unbroken. Regular fleet checks allow us to keep on top of tyre replacements and get the maximum out of every casing. Plus, knowing precisely what our tyres are going to cost us in advance makes billing clients far simpler and means there are no nasty surprises in our busier months.”

The Effitires package offers a predictable tyre budget linked to fleet activity, and allows the company to keep up-to-date with its tyre usage statistics through regular reporting and feedback.

The company’s fleet will continue to fit Michelin X MultiWay 3D XDE drive and XZE all-position tyres – the manufacturer’s latest generation regional tread pattern, which offers excellent mileage performance and fuel efficiency.

The X MultiWay 3D range also boasts an improved resistance to accidental shoulder damage – perfect for the on- and off-road challenges thrown up by Huntapac Produce’s operations.

“Our work doesn’t revolve around the usual trunking routes,” adds Bell. “We need tyres that can handle both long-distance motorway driving and more than their fair share of country lanes. Thankfully, Michelin’s tyres are more than up to the job.”

Huntapac Produce’s trailers benefit from Michelin’s sturdy X Multi T tyres, and staff from ATS Euromaster’s Bamber Bridge centre will continue to fit all replacement tyres across the fleet.

Renewing its Effitires solution provides Huntapac Produce with the services of a dedicated team of business support personnel, auditors and technicians, to ensure its tyres are serviced to the highest possible standards.

Michelin solutions will also continue to carry out fleet‐wide tyre safety inspections, and develop, implement and maintain a shared action plan to ensure harmonised operations – cutting complexity and red tape while ensuring safety, regulatory compliance and peace of mind.

Huntapac Produce is a fourth-generation family-owned business established in 1942. Based in a small village in the heart of Lancashire, the company specialises in growing, packing and distributing a variety of root vegetables and salads. The company supplies major UK supermarkets, as well as independent retailers, wholesalers, caterers and the food manufacturing sector.