Due to its many cost saving and environmental advantages, retreading has been popular for many years. The advancement of retread processes and products over the last 15 years has delivered measurable value to fleet customers. Retread technology has improved product quality, and is now paramount to a customer’s operations.
To gain an understanding of the benefits offered by retreading, here are some factors to consider…
Cost Benefits
Fleets that choose to retread can save their company a significant amount of money. Retreads can perform and be just as reliable as brand new tires, but for much less money. Some retreads can help fleets save on their fuel costs, too. SmartWay® verified retreads are fuel-efficient retreads that support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay program’s strategy of reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of line-haul Class 8 trucks. In today’s tight economic climate, a fleet can invest their savings from utilizing retreads into other areas of their business. Additionally, some companies offer performance guarantees or warranties for specific retreads if quality casings are utilized in the process.
Environmentally Sensitive
Retreading contributes to the productive life of a tire. By utilizing the original quality casing, a retread can eliminate millions of scrap tires being sent to landfills each year. Additionally, it takes much less energy to produce a retread compared to the production of a new tire. According to the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB), it takes approximately 22 gallons of oil to manufacture a new medium truck tire, but it takes only seven gallons for a retread. This saves hundreds of millions of gallons of oil. By eliminating carbon emissions and greenhouse gas from the air we breathe, everyone can benefit from retread use.
Safety
Many do not understand that under-inflation is the most frequent cause of the common “rubber on the roadside, road alligators”, not retreads. Road hazards, overloading, and poor tire maintenance can also cause failure of both new tires and retreads.
According to the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau, “only sound, carefully inspected tire casings are used for retreading. The worn tread is buffed away and a new tread is bonded to the tire body in a process very similar to the manufacture of a new tire. There are different processing techniques, but the ultimate objective is always the same - affixing a new tread through the application of heat, time and pressure”.
Repair Speed
Downtime is money. Fleets make money by working, not waiting. The retread process is successful because it allows fleet’s to manage their tires economically and efficiently.
Michelin Retreads
Each company has its specific requirements of what it is looking for in a retread. It depends on the fleet’s casing management; turnaround time, needs availability of the necessary product, level of dealer service, on-line reporting needs, and fleet location. In the long run, retreads offer excellent mobility solutions that can lead to cost savings and environmental benefits.
No other retread can boast the use of Michelin’s new-tire technology and rigorous quality control. Utilizing Michelin’s new-tire design technology, proven tread designs and new-tire manufacturing standards, MICHELIN® Retread Technologies delivers reliable retreads specifically designed to meet your critical needs.
The best part about Michelin retreads…FTS Plus+ members are eligible to receive national account discounts on Michelin tires and retreads through The Gold Program. To learn more about Michelin and our savings, please call your dedicated saving consultant at 800.749.1724.
