Focus on Tyres

BRIDGESTONE & MICHELIN DISCUSS RECOVERED CARBON BLACK’S SUSTAINABILITY ROLE

Bridgestone Corporation and Michelin Group have delivered a shared perspective regarding material circularity and the ambition to increase the utilisation of recovered carbon black material in tyres; the joint presentation took place recently at the Smithers Recovered Carbon Black Conference in Amsterdam.

An estimated one billion tyres around the world reach the end of their useful service life every year. Many of the technical challenges surrounding the use of recycled and recovered materials from end-of-life tyres are understood, but barriers remain towards achieving material circularity at the scale necessary to realise a more sustainable mobility ecosystem. Today, less than one percent of all carbon black material used globally in new tyre production comes from recycled end-of-life tyres due to a weak supply pipeline for the recovery and reuse of carbon black. Recovered carbon black presents the opportunity to reduce the tire industry’s reliance on petrochemicals by replacing a portion of traditional carbon black with a sustainable and circular alterative without introducing performance tradeoffs. Additionally, using recovered carbon black in new tyre production reduces CO2 emissions by up to 85% compared to virgin materials. At the conference, the two companies outlined a path aimed at promoting and increasing the utilisation of recovered carbon black in new tyres and other rubber products. Collaboration with stakeholders across all aspects of the tyre and rubber industry value chain will be needed to deliver this goal. As such, Michelin and Bridgestone seek to establish a coalition of a diverse group of stakeholders, including tyre manufacturers, carbon black suppliers, pyrolysis partners and emerging technology start-ups to accelerate progress and increase supply of recovered carbon black. “Increasing use of recovered carbon black in tyres is critical to achieving Bridgestone’s vision for sustainable mobility,” said Jake Rønsholt, vice president of strategy and transformation, Bridgestone Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. “Together with Michelin and other stakeholders, we can generate critical momentum on this important initiative and advance our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and manufacture products from fully renewable and sustainable materials.” “For years discussions have been ongoing about the different constraints and hurdles that were preventing the rubber industry to adopt recycled and or recovered raw materials in significant quantities,” said Sander Vermeulen, vice president, endof-life rubber products recycling business, Michelin. “We felt it was the time to stop discussing and actively contribute to finding solutions that would enable the rubber industry as a whole to become more circular by increasing its ability to adopt recycled and or recovered materials from end-oflife tyres. I am delighted that we found a partner in Bridgestone that shares our vision, and together we invite stakeholders across the tyre and rubber value chain to participate in the journey toward material circularity.” As part of the joint initiative, Bridgestone and Michelin will lead the development of a position paper that will outline the tire industry’s role in achieving a circular economy. Later in 2022, the companies will release a white paper to outline the technical requirements, characteristics and proposed solutions to increase the utilisation of recovered carbon black in new tyres.

Why caring for your tyres in winter is so important

Even in the UK, which sees milder winters than other parts of Europe, roads can often be blocked and the adverse weather increases handling and braking distances significantly. However, there are a few simple things that operators can do to help their fleets keep moving.

To help fleet managers ensure their tyres, in particular, are performing at their best during the winter months, Goodyear has the following expert tips.

Safety routine

In your safety routines at the depot, some important things to look out for include tyre treads and pressures, brakes and also fluids. Spotting these in advance and making sure the driver knows if there are any issues with the vehicle should maximise winter mobility so that each truck is ready to go, no matter the weather. Of course, there are ways of streamlining this process. For instance, did you know Goodyear’s Drive-Over-Reader can check tyres quickly and accurately in just a few seconds? By scanning each vehicle as it enters the depot, it reads the registration plate, matches the data to the vehicle and delivers a time-stamped report almost instantly. Employing methods like this will ensure optimal fuel consumption and longer lasting tyres, reducing the likelihood of tyre-related breakdowns, without adding any additional workload or complexity.

Choose correct tyres

Tyres react differently according to temperature, so using products that are designed to deliver optimum performance in all types of weather – especially in winter – are essential. When it’s cold, some tyres don’t provide the same level of grip and traction as they would in warmer or even milder temperatures. Instead, specific compounds and tread patterns are needed to achieve the best possible performance. Tyres marked with the 3 Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) symbol are becoming the standard for winter tyre regulation across Europe. They help to improve handling and decrease winter braking distances by providing excellent grip on snow and slush. It’s the advanced tread design and siping that provides this grip and disperses water and wet snow slush, all increasing mobility. Since November 2012, the UNECE Regulation 117 has actually required that for tyres to be used in winter conditions, they must be marked with 3PMSF, to show that they are approved for use in severe snow conditions. At Goodyear, the latest generation of KMAX GEN-2 and FUELMAX ENDURANCE drive, steer and trailer tyres, all of which bear the 3PMSF marking, are especially developed to optimise traction throughout the service life, even at 75% worn. The blades we put inside the tyres and their advanced shape are resistant to tearing, chipping and chunking, and at the same time provide low rolling resistance to reduce the vehicle’s carbon footprint — all while ensuring the tyre is good for winter. For those who travel the alpine and Nordic regions, the ULTRA GRIP MAX range is also ready to tackle the extreme winter conditions that operators are likely to face.

Replace regularly

Almost all of us who drive regularly have been in a situation where the road has been blocked by a jack-knifing lorry. This is caused by lack of traction, and given the increased weight carried by commercial vehicles, even the smallest skid can cause a large slide. Keeping an eye on the tyre’s tread and overall condition is vital to keep trucks moving. Once the tread falls below 5-millimeters, tyres will only offer minimal traction. Early regrooving can also refresh traction at the start of winter, helping the tyre to last longer. Uptime is important to the commercial vehicle industry, and by and large, fleets are proactive when it comes to preparing and maintaining their vehicles for winter use. There is always scope to improve a fleet’s mobility a little further, and the application of some winter and 3PMSF tyres are a sure way to do this.

Michelin Becomes Tyre of Choice for FJM Logistics

Belfast-based FJM Logistics, which delivers up to 5,000 parcels per day, will more than halve the number of tyres it fits across its 37-strong van fleet over the next 12 months following a move to Michelin Agilis CrossClimate tyres.

The move follows a trial which saw two sets of ultradurable 225/65 R16 Michelin Agilis CrossClimate all-season tyres fitted to a pair of 3.5tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinters which went on to average 9,705 miles on the front axle, with no punctures or damage recorded. This compared with just 4,104 miles for the firm’s budget tyre of choice, and 5,962 miles for a rival premium brand occasionally fitted. Commenting, FJM Logistics Managing Director Fraser Orr explains: “We’d reached the point where we were sending at least one of our vehicles to the tyre dealer every single day for new tyres. The admin task alone was huge, and we were conscious of the financial and environmental impact. “Our vans work intensively on multi-drop deliveries seven days a week. Incidents of kerbing can be high, given the nature of our work, but we knew there had to be a better tyre solution available.” Within weeks of the Michelin trial beginning, the difference in performance was immediately obvious. “Tyre wear dropped dramatically with the Michelins, and the wear we did see was evenly spread across the surface of the tyre, and not concentrated on the shoulders,” says Orr. “The kerbing protectors also do a fantastic job of guarding against sidewall damage – we’ve not had any issues at all.” Commenting on the total cost of ownership, he adds: “We are paying more per tyre with Michelin, but we’re fitting far fewer tyres. We’ve done the calculations and it has reduced our tyre spend, and that’s before we factor in the improvements in uptime. Plus, there’s the environmental savings too, as fitting fewer tyres is reducing both our carbon footprint and consumption of raw materials.” As one of several fleets delivering parcels for the same online retailer in Northern Ireland, Orr intends to share his experiences with other local firms. “Any successes we get, we share with the others; that’s how it works. We are confident we’ve found the sweet spot for van tyre performance, and in an application which is traditionally very heavy on tyres. We expect there’ll be a lot of interest.” Orr is also looking forward to seeing how the tyres perform come winter. “With the Agilis CrossClimate tyres being an all-season fitment, we are confident they will help us to keep our deliveries on track when we get snow and ice. Being able to deliver, whatever the weather, will be hugely advantageous – particularly as our workload intensifies in winter.”

Fraser Orr

Continental offers a new delivery van tyre for year-round use

The new VanContact A/S Ultra clearly demonstrates how Continental is striving for sustainability in tyres for delivery vans, without compromising on safety-relevant tyre characteristics.

The new model, now being produced in four sizes in a diameter of 16 inches, are designed for fitment on vans frequently used for delivery services and trade businesses. This includes well known models such as the Mercedes Sprinter, VW Crafter and Fiat Ducato, as well as on smaller vans like the Mercedes V-Class or VW T6. The product range will be significantly expanded next year to include other sizes of 15-, 16- and 17-inch diameters. Expanding urbanisation, the trend toward electric powertrains, and the increase in inner-city and door-to-door deliveries have significantly changed mobility habits and requirements. Vans are also commuting and traveling longer distances more frequently, entailing stop-and-go driving in cities too. These diverse demands are reflected in the design of the new Ultra-series tyres from Continental. The new range are developed to be robust and durable while offering the safety and rolling resistance performance expected of the brand’s premium products. Continental’s engineers have developed a new rubber compound, profile and sidewall to achieve the tyre properties demanded for this application. New fillers were added to the rubber compound to reduce rolling resistance – an important factor for low fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. At the same time, the functionalised polymers in the new compound provide high mileage during both summer and winter use. The “snow traps” – small bars in the tread grooves – are also aimed at winter use, holding the snow in the grooves and thus offering good friction with the snow on the road. They also stabilise the profile and contribute to precise handling and high mileage. The smart 3D sipe was developed to achieve good grip when driving on snow and wet roads, a special design that stabilises the tread blocks, thereby providing short braking distances. During the winter months, this design allows the sipe to open wide when rolling into the ground contact area, thus producing high snow grip via the sipe edges. The combination of profile design and rubber compound ensures no trade off between mileage and rolling resistance as well as wet grip.

Urban driving

Vans operated in urban areas can hardly avoid hard tyre contact with roadside curbs. To ensure the sidewall is resistant to such tough conditions, the scuff rib was applied around the entire sidewall. Its “brick pattern” protects the sidewall against damage and thus contributes to making the tyre highly robust. Continental’s engineers have also developed a new, clearly visible tread depth indicator for the new VanContact A/S Ultra that displays the tyre’s remaining tread depth much better than the small bars in the grooves. Four groups of figures distributed across the tyre circumference on the tread blocks indicate the remaining tread depth between five, four and three millimetres.

Michelin Names New Managing Director For UK & Ireland

Michelin Tyre plc has appointed John Howe as Managing Director for the UK & Ireland. He will also hold the role of B2C Sales Director, with responsibility for the company’s car, motorcycle and bicycle markets.

Howe, 41, brings an impressive 25 years of service within the company, having begun his career in the warehouse of Solideal UK, before continuing with the business through a series of acquisitions first by Solideal International, Camoplast, Camso and then finally Michelin in 2018. He has a wealth of experience in the tyre industry at all levels, having initially worked as a warehouse operative and mobile service technician, before becoming an Area Sales Manager and later General Manager for Solideal International. During seven years at Camso, between 2013 and 2020, Howe progressed from Commercial Director to UK Managing Director, and finally Original Equipment Aftermarket Director for the EMEA region. Since February 2020 he has worked directly within Michelin, spending his first 18 months as Global Program Manager within the agriculture, construction and materials handling markets, where he was responsible for helping the 10 regions globally Go to Market in the most effective way. Most recently he has been Global Business Development & Corporate Account Manager for these same three sectors, heading a team responsible for Michelin’s largest international key accounts. Commenting on his new role, Howe says: “I’m excited about the opportunity to evolve the business here in the UK & Ireland, whilst also respecting the legacy of Michelin. The market is getting more dynamic all the time, and I want to ensure Michelin remains a true pioneer – with, around and beyond tyres.” Howe will be based in Stoke-on-Trent and replaces Chris Smith as Managing Director, who recently moved to Michelin’s international headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, France, to take over the role of Global Marketing Director long distance transportation.

John Howe