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The warranty upgrade follows investment in new machinery for Bandag's factories, including laser technology to detect any anomalies in a case (right)....and automated splice machines for millimetre precision in joining the two ends of a tread

Bandag upgrades retreads warranty

TYRE RETREADER BANDAG IS OFFERING AN

upgraded warranty for its tyres in New Zealand.

Bandag Assurance means that retreads produced in the company’s NZ factories “are now covered by a 100% replacement warranty for any retread failing as a result of a manufacturer fault”......providing the tyre is roadworthy at the time of the failure.

The warranty applies regardless of the brand of casing, or the remaining legal life – the improved offering replacing “the previous pro-rata warranty.”

Bandag says the move follows ongoing enhancements and upgrades in the manufacturing process and further investment in new machinery at its pre-cure tread factory in Brisbane, and at NZ’s retread factories – in Auckland, Rotorua and Christchurch.

Bridgestone's director of NZ business, John Staples, says the new warranty is underpinned by Bridgestone and Bandag's commitment to quality: “We back our products, and we back the Bandag process.

“Operators should seriously consider the benefits that Bandag retreads offer their business and the new Bandag Assurance Warranty is a reflection of the full confidence that they should have when choosing Bandag.”

Bandag retreads “are trusted by NZ and Australia's largest fleets” because they are “a cost-effective alternative to new tyres and are just as reliable as new Bridgestone tyres.

“Retreads also provide an environmentally friendlier product choice for businesses looking to improve their own environmental impact.” Many tyre cases can, he adds, "be retreaded over and over again.”

In NZ, Bandag imports pre-cured tread from its Brisbane factory and completes the retreading process here. Bridgestone's “significant” investment in Bandag in recent years has seen improvements in the NZ factories including increased use of shearography machines – using laser technology (similar to an x-ray) to identify anomalies in a case.

Automated splice machines also deliver millimetre precision when joining the two ends of a tread together, the company says.

Says Staples: “Bandag retreads play a significant role in reducing a fleet’s impact on the environment, because it sees less tyre casings entering the waste stream, and less resources needed in their production.” T&D

A cool Italian import

ITALIAN-MADE AUTOCLIMA

truck airconditioning systems have been launched in New Zealand.

Rotorua’s Forestaire Automotive Climate Specialists are importing the range of DCpowered Fresco 3000 aircons, designed for sleeper cab trucks. The systems are often referred to as parking aircons in Europe.

Forestaire sales manager Peter Jessop says long-distance trucks whose drivers sleep in their cabs are the target for the units – “offering extremely quiet, economical cab cooling in hot summer conditions.

“Given the current COVID-19 environment and the fact that by installing these units the drivers can sleep in the comfort of their cab, they can reduce the risk of exposure to the virus that can result from staying in hotels or motels.”

The Fresco 3000 systems are fitted with an integrated low-battery voltage cutout device that eliminates the risk of not being able to start the vehicle after use. They come with a 12-month warranty.

The company says that feedback on the systems that have already been installed in NZ has been “exceptionally good” – following on from the units being highly regarded internationally, in markets like the USA, Canada and Australia.

Forestaire, the sole NZ distributor for the Autoclima brand, will be establishing a regional network of suppliers and installers around the country. T&D An Autoclima Fresco 3000 condenser installation