For many years we’ve accepted that our medical professionals are saviours and indeed during this time of viral attack on a global basis the Medicos are proving that their pledge is not just words but actions, even to the point where they lose their lives in pursuit of our health.

Our societies have now recognised just how critical, not just important but absolutely critical road transport is to our sustainability.  The transport operator delivering our foods stuffs, our medical supplies, our daily needs have continued delivering when much of our city life has been shut down.  Our governments have recognised the importance of road transport maintaining open borders for our truckers when everything else has shut shop and closed down.

In some case this has left these dedicated personnel in situations where being able to maintain daily basics of food and lodging has become difficult.  Support is due for those who maintain our daily lives.

Tyres

The tyre industry as a composite, has taken big hits with production facilities closed, supply chains not just interrupted, but in some cases stopped altogether.  Sustainability in the medium and longer term is now a requirement not just a wish or pipe dream.  With oil prices hitting rock bottom other operating expenses for road transport now come under the spotlight in regards profitability and sustainability.  It is well understood by the bean counters that tyres form a considerable cost centre, one that has for many years been ignored.  “Tyres?  They’re just consumables, plenty more where they came from. Buy on lowest price!”  Well, consider a situation where raw latex rubber becomes unable to be sourced as the regions producing the raw materials used for tyres have suffered huge tolls as a result of COVID-19 infections.  Tyres could well be in short supply even though production facilities are available if raw materials are not. 

Smart operators are already considering tyres in terms of economics and sustainability in the near and medium terms.  How to stretch the performance of their tyres to higher levels is a question worthy of much consideration.  Looking over end of life tyres at many transport operations I see there is usually a large amount of tread either left on the casings or has been wasted in irregular wear.  Tyres with diagonal wear, scalloping, one-sided wear are all quite common.  All these aspects of wastage are not of the tyre’s making.  It is not the tyres fault that performance has been compromised.  A tyre does exactly what it is asked to do, it has absolutely no say to the fact that it is dragged down the road rather than rolling smoothly.  The tyre has no say when it is over loaded either by sheer mass or the crux of most poor tyre performance and demise, under inflation.  The tyre simply does what is asked and suffers the consequences, sometimes ending in catastrophic failure.

The fleet managers who send vehicles out without understanding what their tyres are doing in real time would, I suggest, have little if any control over the operating expenses.  Not knowing how a tyre is operating is akin to not having any gauges on the dash, not having a speedometer, just guessing what is happening.

Whilst fuel is a major facet of tyre performance driver fatigue usually goes without consideration when thinking tyres.  Drivers are asked, no, they are required to maintain concentration for hours on end.  A vehicle may not behave as the driver reasonably expects, this may be due to road surface of varying qualities, winds that buffet and change the vehicle’s course with continuously varying magnitudes.  As the fleet manager, surely it is in the best interests (not to mention economics) to ensure that the tyres are all operating on the vehicle as a team not as numerous individuals.

For heavy haulage dual tyres are the standard.  Two tyres are paired to increase the load capacity of the vehicle.  This is common for the drive axles of rigid trucks as well as those pulling trailers.  For many trailers dualled tyres are used for the same reasons.  There is a school of thought that suggests using larger wide base tyres (super singles) can provide benefits, that is for another time.

For most dualled tyre axles there are 4 tyres on the axle.  Are these tyres working as a team or are they operating as four individuals all working at differing rates?  The ASSuMption made by most is probably “we don’t know.”  From our research at TyreSafe Australia into the data we collect it becomes quickly obvious that the individual concept is dominant. 

The end result of this situation is that the truck and trailer(s) are being pulled different directions at once inducing a degree of instability that the driver counters with continuous adjustments to the steering.  Over a period of hours this continuous attention, calculation of adjustment required is tiresome.  Just how tiresome I hear asked.  Consider the difference of driving your car without cruise control and then with cruise control.  Which is more tiresome?  Having to continuously monitor speed with variations in environmental aspects (think hills, road surfaces) consumes energy, thus fatigue onset is earlier.  So why is it different for a truck driver with sometimes 24, sometimes 34 even up to 76 individual tyres all pulling differing ways at the same time.  Why would a truck driver not be fatigued fighting this many forces acting to deflect the vehicle from the chosen path?

During this time of global pandemic, we’ve acknowledged the critical role our transport operators play in keeping our cities open, in keeping our economies functioning. So, my question to all the fleet managers, the CEO’s, the executive boards is “why are you making the life of your drivers considerably harder than it actually needs to be?”  So many electronic aids are used on today’s heavy transport, GPS tracking and telematics is now common place, fatigue monitoring has become the darling of the safety department yet the very items that support and guide the vehicle are just ignored.  What would happen if we continued to ignore our medicos?  What would happen if our transport drivers were ignored? 

We acknowledge their work with admiration and acclaim.  Why don’t we make their life easier?

Ignorance is no longer an acceptable reason.  Ignore the tyres on the fleets you control at your own (and unfortunately many other road users) peril.  What will you learn from the interaction with the viral force sweeping our globe currently?  Consider the vehicle holistically with tyres as the foundation of the steering, braking and drive systems, the driver piloting the rig is the controller at the centre of these holistic consideration.

#THANKaTruckerToday

#THANKourMEDICOsToday

#staytyresafe

• Adam Gosling and the team at TyreSafe Australia provide guidance and direction for all tyre users. Safety is paramount, so is efficiency and sustainability. Tyres are a globally universal product, the requirement for tyre safety is also a global standard

Bridgestone Americas announced the launch of Firestone Direct mobile vehicle service for car owners and fleet operators. Firestone Direct brings Bridgestone’s automotive services directly to vehicle owners’ homes or workplaces to offer maximum convenience with safe, contact-free service.

This service uses specially equipped vans operated by certified technicians to perform a wide range of maintenance services, including fluid and filter changes, tire repair and replacement, battery check and replacement, and more. 

Through 2021, Firestone Direct will continue to grow into additional markets across the southeastern U.S., with plans to expand nationwide by 2023. The new service launched first in Nashville and Atlanta and expanded into Orlando and Tampa in March.

Angie Oleson, director of Firestone Direct, said, “Customers are increasingly turning to online shopping and at-home services for convenience and safety, and Firestone Direct is at the forefront of this movement for at-home car care. By bringing trusted vehicle care featuring the latest automotive technologies directly to the customer, Firestone Direct can leverage the expertise of our trained technicians with the ease of online booking and at-home service for maximum convenience.” (TT)

The global electric vehicle (EV) market has taken a tremendous leap forward, with new registrations reaching record market shares in nearly all countries. For the tyre development landscape, the accelerating growth of the EV market means a pervasive transformation.

Boosting circular economy

At Black Donuts, the impact of the EV trend can be seen everywhere, from the tyre designers’ desks to the new practices of tyre testing. Beyond meeting new demands of the EV sector, the procedures and practices are tuned to serve the company’s strategic goal: to spearhead the industry’s shift towards a circular economy.

Black Donuts launched the first EV tyre development projects with its tyre manufacturer customers in 2018. The internal research on EV tyres was initiated even before, at the time of the first EVs entering the market. “The first research project addressed the primary technological challenges: rolling resistance and noise,” says lkka Lehtoranta, Head of Tire and Material Development at Black Donuts.

In tyre design, it is essential to focus on specific aspects to ensure optimal performance for electric cars. Compared to combustion cars, tyres for Evs must carry a heavier load withstand high instant torque – and be efficient and quiet. 

Lately, the focus on tyre technology has shifted towards more comprehensive sustainability. Bio-based materials and compounds are opening new possibilities, and the rapid growth of the EV market accelerates the pace of development. ”The EV trend has highlighted the sustainability of tyres. The demand for bio-based materials and tyre recyclability has significantly increased,” says Jarkko Mällinen, Technology Development Manager of Black Donuts.

In cooperation with its partners, Black Donuts is investigating new possibilities to replace fossil-fuel-based raw materials with bio-based or renewable materials in all products, including studded tyres. The company is currently testing the use of bio-based plastics in stud bodies.

Also, end-of-life tyres are a hot topic in the industry, and Black Donuts is researching how the waste tyres can be recirculated and recycled back into the process. Even the tyre development process is undergoing a renaissance. New design tools for faster tyre development are being introduced, emphasising the key features of sustainable, future proof tyres.

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European PCLT (passenger car and light truck) tyre manufacturing capacity has risen over the past decade to meet increased demand, but there has been a major shift from plants in Western Europe, towards Central Europe and Russia. The move eastwards reflects substantial differences in operating costs between the two regions, specifically in terms of labour costs. Hourly labour rates in Central and Eastern Europe can typically be half to one quarter of those in the highest cost Western European countries. In particular this significant differential has resulted in the transfer of production of lower priced non-premium tyres to larger plants in Central and Eastern Europe. Numerous PCLT plant closures and downsizings in Western Europe have either been announced or enacted during the past 18 months.

In 2019 Cooper Tires ended PCLT tyre production at its small plant in the UK, and Michelin recently closed the PCLT tyre plant in Dundee that manufactured tier-1 brand tyres in lower rim-diameters (≤16”), a shrinking segment of the European market. These closures leave just the two PCLT tyre facilities operating in the country: the Pirelli plants that focus on low volume but high-margin premium tyres.

In Germany, Michelin has announced plans to close its Bamburg plant that also focused on lower-rim -diameter tyres, whilst Goodyear is restructuring operations at its PCLT tyre facilities located in Fulda and Hanau. Total capacity there will fall, but there will be an increase in production of premium tyres.

Pirelli has recently ceased production of car tyres at its Bollate plant in Italy, its only facility in Western or Central Europe that was manufacturing non-premium car tyres. Apollo Tyres plans to downsize PCLT capacity at its plant in the high-cost Netherlands, focusing the facility on high value tyres with short production runs. Management had stated that the company lost money on 70% of the PCLT tyres that it sold from the facility.

Despite these closures in Western Europe, expansion to the east is expected to result in the net addition of 30 million units of PCLT tyre capacity across Europe* by 2026. New plants that have been recently opened, or are currently under construction, are located in either central and eastern Europe or Russia. In 2017, Apollo Tyres opened a greenfield plant in Hungary, with first-phase capacity increasing to 5.5 million PCLT tyres and almost 0.7 million TBR tyres. Supply from the facility has substituted imports from India and now permits the planned downsizing and specialisation of production in the Netherlands.

In 2018, Hankook announced plans to add production of TBR tyres at its plant in Hungary, however this expansion was put on hold in late 2019. In phases, the company has already expanded PCLT tyre capacity until it is now one of the largest such facilities in the world. Meanwhile, Nexen has begun the ramp-up of capacity at its new plant in the Czech Republic; this will have added substantially to the country’s capacity by 2023.

In addition to further investments across Central and Eastern Europe by Continental Tire, Bridgestone and Pirelli, an expansion of premium tyre capacity in Slovenia has also been announced by Goodyear.

In mid-2019 Toyo Tire announced its intention to build a new tyre plant in Serbia, consolidating the country’s position as the leading location for new PCLT tyre manufacturing capacity in Europe. This follows Linglong’s decision to build its new European plant in the country and Cooper Tire’s plan to double the size of its facility. Based on analysis by Astutus Research of all announced capacity actions (plant opening and expansion net of closures and downsizing), Serbia will account for over 40% of planned capacity additions between 2019 and 2026.

Toyo expects to invest €390 million in its new facility that will have a capacity of 5 million units. It intends to start production in early 2022 and reach full capacity the following summer. Linglong’s facility will have a capacity of 12 million PCLT tyres, alongside truck and radial agricultural tyres, built in three phases and representing a total investment of over €800 million.

Serbia as new hub

Although there is demand for both replacement and original equipment PCLT tyres in Serbia, the domestic market is amongst the smallest in Europe and production will be export focused. The country has already emerged as a key source of budget tyres to the European Union and to Russia, predominantly from Tigar Tyre, Michelin’s low-cost tyre subsidiary, that has significantly increased capacity and production in the past decade.

Geographically, Serbia is well located to supply the major markets of the EU and Russia, and benefits from free trade agreements with both. Labour costs in the country are significantly lower than in the Czech Republic or Hungary, and labour availability is good, with a higher rate of unemployment.

At present Toyo imports tyres to Europe from its facilities in Japan and Malaysia; Linglong utilises its PCLT tyre plants in China and Thailand. Both companies aim to develop their presence in Europe, and local production should help them in this quest, particularly in the original equipment segment where the significantly shorter lead times will improve the competitiveness of their offer. Similarly, the opportunity to increase their share of the OE business was one of the motivations for Nexen and Apollo to replace imports to open a plant in the region.

Whilst the influence of the Covid-19 virus may slow the pace of some planned investment in central and eastern Europe, it has already accelerated the pace of closures in the west. Furthermore, we expect that it will result in further plant closures there, as the decline in European tyre demand dramatically reduces plant utilisation rates.

*Europe refers to Western, Central and Eastern Europe, including Russia and CIS, but excludes Turkey which we include in the Middle East & Africa region.

For capacity data: ‘Western Europe’ includes plants in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the UK, Portugal, the Netherlands, Finland and Luxembourg. ‘Central Europe’ refers to Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. ‘Russia and CIS’ refers to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Uzbekistan.

• Simon Hodson is Research Director at Astutus Research shodson@astutusresearch.com

The WHO has said that the outbreak is now officially a Pandemic. People/ companies/ organisations are still coming to grips on how to address the situation. Government heads of various countries are trying to curb the situation by restricting entries of people who are affected by countries that are affected the most. Thus, airlines would have only diplomats and other certain levels of people allowed to fly.  Many airlines have suspended a good number of their flights.  Many companies will be looking to take a hair cut on what they take back with them, just to see that business can be sustained during the trying situations. 

The virus has led various markets to crash, courier services have been curtailed in certain countries. All types of cancellations, be it sport, expositions or business, have affected the business world over. The transaction value in the losses may be difficult to gauge currently, however, it could be in the millions. Contracts would have to be reworked, and companies may have to come with new strategies. 

However, in every situation, there would be also a business opportunity, if you work your strategy right. The sale of masks, gloves, hand sanitisers, medical devices would be able to generate good business. Though it is seen that the outbreak is from China, you also got to give to them as to how they are trying to contain the situation by building hospital/s within 10 days. In other countries, this would easily have taken a much longer time period. 

It is a given that the business scenario is not going to be the best for most of the companies; Therefore, companies may have to think and reevaluate the way they are currently running their company. Companies will look to get leaner in every possible way. Cut down on unwanted expenses. Many companies have started asking their employees to work from home. Some may look to have lesser number of people and look to automate some of the work, especially in the factories.  Commercial properties being an expensive asset to maintain, some companies may look to perhaps go on rented co working spaces. Use less of one time use items like plastic and use more renewable/ reusable substitutes. Use of more environment friendly methods going forward will be the mantra. 

This hit on our social system in a way will make us pause, think and have better suggestions as to how to look after ourselves and our environment at large.