15% growth in sale on European truck tyre market
Truck fleets have a particular impact and responsibility in the area of transport as well as road safety – in 2015 in Poland there were nearly 2.6 million trucks[1] and 26,618 new vehicles of this type were registered in 2016[2]. In addition, according to PTIA data, sales of truck tyres in Poland in the first quarter of 2017 reached over 211 thousand units, including official distributors and individual importers of low quality tyres. The increase in the European market – up to 15% – is connected to the fact that truck fleets appreciate the quality of tyres from reputable manufacturers and their durability that guarantee transport safety.
According to Polish law the minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm – below this limit the vehicle's braking distance can extend by up to 10 meters[3]. Worth remembering is the fact that specified in regulations tread depth for coaches is 3 mm. Tyres are the only spot of contact between the car and the road surface – they have a great impact on the grip of the car and therefore on the precision of the vehicle's turning and braking.
Because of the large mass of the truck and the trailer the distance needed to stop the vehicle is much longer than for passenger cars. Buying branded tyres is a profitable investment, both for road safety and for measureable financial benefits. The value of truck tyres amounts only to 5% of the cost of a transport company, but in the long term it affects 40% of its operating costs – by keeping the right tyre pressure, one can reduce fuel consumption by up to 0.3 liters per 100 kilometers and wearing off the tread evenly. It is also important to remember that failure to balance the wheels results in faster wear of the vehicle suspension.
„Regular inspection of tyres in large-sized vehicles is a matter of safety and certainty of delivery in unstable atmospheric conditions. The right tread height has a great influence on steering and therefore driving safety. All Polish road users, especially coach and truck drivers, which average weight after loading is 44 tonnes, should know what is the minimum allowable tread height and tyre pressure. Manufacturers all over the world in legible way mark where the tread wear indicators (TWI) are located – so it is important that drivers and fleet managers use them in practice” – says Piotr Sarnecki, General Director of the Polish Tyre Industry Association.
One way to extend the life of a tyre is retreading. This process involves applying a new layer of rubber in place of the worn tread. This activity increases the mileage of tyres, which directly translates into the savings of logistics entrepreneurs. However, only premium tyres allow this – low quality carcass (tyre skeleton) is not strong enough to apply a new layer of rubber to it. Retreading also has a positive effect on the environment – regeneration limits the amount of worn tyres.
„The vast majority of Polish trade takes place with the use of trucks. In 2015, on Polish roads there were 2,6 million vehicles of this type. Due to the scale of transport operations, it is very important for entrepreneurs to pay attention to the technical condition of vehicles – including tyres, since road safety depends to a large extent on it. Caring for the technical condition of the transport fleet is one of the indicators of socially responsible business” – says Maciej Wroński, President of „Transport i Logistyka Polska” employers union.
[1] „Automotive Industry 2016” Report, Polski Związek Przemysłu Motoryzacyjnego
[2] Quarter report of KPMG and PZPM „Automotive Industry”, Edition Q2/2017
[3] Educational materials of PTIA
Source: Polish Tyre Industry Association