Yokohama wins second major airport fleet
Yokohama HPT Ltd has made an agreement to supply tyres to aviation fleet specialists, Rushlift Ltd – making the company part of the running of the UK’s largest airport, London Heathrow.
Yokohama HPT Ltd has made an agreement to supply tyres to aviation fleet specialists, Rushlift Ltd – making the company part of the running of the UK’s largest airport, London Heathrow.
The ongoing effects of import tariffs, Brexit uncertainty and structural changes in the distribution chain have all affected the tyre business this year. As well as featuring the latest motorsport news and covering market developments in our regular features, this month’s Tyres & Accessories focuses on a number of key examples of changes in the marketplace in our Review of the Year feature. But one trend stands out above the others – virtualization. In short, increasing moves towards electric and autonomous vehicles (complete with their inherent sensorisation tendencies), coupled with changes in vehicle (and tyre) ownership models such as MaaS (Mobility as a Service) are driving changes in the tyre market that are resulting in the virtualizing of parts of the distribution chain.
Midland Tyre Services (MTS)’s frontline team recently received a series of in-depth Michelin training courses tailored to its business. MTS, based in Borris-in-Ossory, County Laois, is one of Ireland’s largest and most recognised fleet mobility businesses. Operating 24 mobile service vans, all equipped with the latest tyre management technology – including real-time digital inspection and reporting tools – MTS supports thousands of commercial vehicles operating across Ireland.
BPW is now delivering the AirSave tyre pressure system, claiming that it pays for itself in the first year. The effectiveness of the company’s intelligent tyre pressure control system saves costs was tested in practice with transport companies: “The purchase pays for itself astonishingly quickly”, said Alfred Weyres, owner and managing director of Alfred Weyres Spedition GmbH. “The system ensures a permanently optimised roll resistance; fuel economy is clear – and added is the considerably longer tyre mileage. Because the fabric carcass is conserved, the system also optimises retreadability.”
Goodyear Tyres has agreed a five-year partnership with family-run business, R.D. Williams & Sons Haulage. With 40 years’ experience in the transport industry, a 90-strong fleet, R.D Williams & Sons transports a range goods. Expertise in moving floor haulage means its trailers are highly specialised to carry loose items, such as wastepaper and pro-fuel products.
After years of fitting Bandvulc and Continental tyres to its fleet, leading supply chain logistics provider, Fowler Welch, has now put the two manufacturers’ low rolling resistance (LRR) offerings to the test. In a joint-trial at Millbrook Proving Ground, Fowler Welch and Bandvulc arranged an evaluation of the performance and efficiency benefits of low rolling resistance tyres, with support from Continental and its ContiPressureCheck TPMS system.
Ultra-Seal reports that “an increasing number of customers” are being convinced of the tyre sealant’s benefits in terms of cost savings, reducing breakdowns and decreasing CO2 emissions. According to the company, both current and new customers are reducing tyre-related breakdowns by 50-75 per cent and increasing tyre life “substantially”.
Fintyre has won the tender for the supply of tyres for public transport vehicles, launched by Ferrovie del Sud-Est with an auction base of over 800,000 euros.
Prometeon Tyre Group has signed a partnership agreement with GreenRoad, a provider of fleet safety and performance solutions. According to the two companies, the agreement enables Prometeon to “enrich its PRO-Services fleet services portfolio, through the addition of PRO Drive, the new solution based on GreenRoad Know-how and expertise in the fleet management and Telematics sector.”
TyresOnTheDrive.com has been certified by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) as a Van Excellence operator. In order to do so, the mobile tyre fitting service (which operates across the UK via a fleet of over 70 vehicles) has to successfully passed the extensive Van Excellence audit.
Yokohama is to supply tyres to Heathrow-based Rushlift Ltd for its 450 strong fleet of Ground Support Equipment (GSE) based at Gatwick Airport. Operating in the second-busiest airport in the UK, Ruslift have selected Yokohama’s BluEarth-Van RY55 and Geolandar G015 A/T tyres.
With the launch of the IntelliSens UVS01HD, BH Sens now offers a universal tyre pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS) for commercial vehicles. Coverage includes other sensors manufacturer applications on all Mercedes Benz trucks and buses. The launch also coincides with the release of two new Truck TPMS diagnostic tools manufactured by Ateq (VT Truck) and Bartec (Tech700). All this is being presented at Autopromotec in Bologna (Italy).
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service will move its heavy fire appliances to a 100 per cent Michelin policy, after testing demonstrated the tyres could outperform its existing competitor fitments. The service called on Michelin to demonstrate the capabilities of its 315/70 R 22.5 X Multi Z tyre, as it explored options for replacing its existing policy, which was not delivering on longevity.
Global Michelin licensee Wheely-Safe is celebrating after its Michelin Wheel Security and Tyre Pressure Management System (TPMS) Heavy Fleet secured the prestigious Transport Technology of the Year Award at the National Technology Awards in London recently.
With the UK commercial vehicle and fleet business congregating in Birmingham for the Commercial Vehicle Show at the start of May, Vaculug took the opportunity to demonstrate the latest addition to its bespoke fleet tyre management system called VMS – VMS Mobile. For the company, which is now the only non-new-tyre manufacture-owned retreader in the UK, fleet growth and retreading business growth go hand in hand. And that’s why having the right fleet tyre management system in place has become more important than ever.
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