European rollout to follow UK launch of Michelin materials handling training

Tyre technicians responsible for keeping fleets of forklift trucks and other materials handling equipment on the move will benefit from a new dedicated training programme from Michelin. The new materials handling tyre fitting course, which also embraces management of solid wheels, is being held at the Michelin Training and Information Centre (MTIC) in Stoke-on-Trent. Michelin says the course “lays the foundation for training excellence internationally” and hopes to roll it out across Europe.

Formalised through the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) Accreditation scheme and recognised by City & Guilds, the Licensed Commercial Tyre Technician Category 2 – Specialist & Multi-Wheel course, places a strong emphasis on practical training, with nine assessments for each attendee to pass.

“We had previously only trained technicians to work on pneumatic materials handling tyres, but we needed to include the removal and fitting of solid elastic resilient tyres as well, including divided and multi-piece wheels that require a hydraulic press,” says MTIC training instructor Dave Womble. “This is a new area for us in terms of training, and we have risen to the challenge.”

Programme follows complete Camso integration

The decision to launch the programme follows the complete integration of speciality tyre and wheel business Camso into the Michelin Group. “We have developed a training syllabus which is significantly improving the expertise of Camso’s Solideal On-Site Service Division – the team responsible for keeping large fleets of materials handling equipment on the move – and has much wider appeal to the industry too,” Womble adds.

The three-day course focuses on a number of key areas: tyre construction and sidewall markings, types of materials handling tyre, wheel recognition and measurement, safe inflation procedures of pneumatic tyres, practical assessments of all tyre and wheel combinations, as well as hydraulic trailer press safety checks, and health & safety.

Michelin has built a specialist ‘press room’ within MTIC to support the new training, providing a bespoke practical learning environment for visiting technicians, including a mock forklift chassis. It has also invested in specialist tooling technology and the centre’s own tyre press.

MTIC is running the course for Camso technicians and offering separate courses for technicians from outside the Michelin Group.

Taking health & safety focus to new level

“The course really serves to differentiate us from the competition and allows us to demonstrate that we’ve taken our health and safety focus to a whole new level,” comments Wayne Mapson, EU service development manager for Camso. “On occasions in the past, the Solideal On-Site Service Division had been unable to operate at certain big blue-chip sites – but with our NTDA-recognised training, we can now prove we’re following the very highest industry standards.”

The new course replaces a previous Camso training programme which had been validated by the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA), but which was only available to the company’s own tyre technicians.