Five more years – Rotala signs new Michelin Effitires contract

Transport company Rotala PLC has extended its relationship with the Michelin Services and Solutions team by signing a further five-year Effitires contract. Michelin considered the renewal a sign of Rotalla’s “continued confidence in the product” as well as a “shared focus on sustainable transport.”

The deal will cover the operator’s 650-strong fleet of single and double-decker buses, as well as 50 minibuses – working across Rotala’s four subsidiary bus operations: Diamond Bus, Diamond Bus North West, Hallmark Connections and Preston Bus.

Michelin has been Rotala’s exclusive tyre supplier since 2016, delivering a consistently high level of service that has helped secure the new contract. “We have a long working relationship with Michelin,” comments Simon Dunn, chief executive officer at Rotala. “The product is excellent, the durability of the tyres is second to none – we regard Michelin very much as the premier tyre manufacturer in the market. It’s exactly the type of brand we want to be associated with.

“The team at Michelin have a superb hands-on approach, their support over the past five years has been invaluable and we are very pleased to be extending our partnership,” adds Dunn.

Dedication to sustainable mobility

According to Michelin, the two companies’ focus on sustainability has also been a key factor in the renewal. The company will supply its own Remix brand of retreaded tyres as part of the contract, many of which are produced in Stoke-on-Trent. The policy also includes regrooving for all tyres 17.5-inch and above. “Together, these actions help to substantially reduce the use of raw materials and cut CO2 emissions,” notes the tyre maker.

During 2020, Rotala invested £29 million in 163 new low-emission buses as part of a significant fleet upgrade programme to help further reduce the environmental impact of its operation.

“Michelin continues to show its dedication to sustainable mobility, which is also a fundamental principle for us at Rotala,” says Dunn. “We are continuously looking for ways to reduce the carbon emissions of our fleet and the proven fuel-efficiency and mileage qualities of Michelin’s products plays an important part in that.”

Under the Effitires contract, Michelin will supply product direct to Rotala, whose tyre fitters will handle all replacement work in-house. Michelin will also carry out fleet-wide inspections as part of the agreement, ensuring Rotala is getting the most from its tyres in terms of safety, longevity and durability – maximising uptime and compliance.

It will predominantly supply Rotala with Michelin X InCity fitments – including the new 275/70 R22.5 X InCity EV Z, which was initially designed for electric vehicles but that also provides “superb levels of efficiency” for traditional buses operating on urban and suburban routes. Rotalla’s team will fit the latest generation Michelin X Multi Z & D tyres on some of the smaller single deck buses, while Michelin will supply Agilis CrossClimate tyres for the company’s minibus fleet.

Formed in 2005, Rotala has grown rapidly through the acquisition of local coach and bus operations and now operates out of eight depots – as far north as Preston and down to Heathrow in the south. The business employs roughly 1,900 members of staff, with its registered bus services carrying more than 50 million passengers every year. Rotala also operates an extensive number of corporate transport contracts and private bus networks.