When we consider the examples provided by various leaders around the globe where Covid-19 is considered, the outcomes can be binary; either the decision has worked out well, or the disaster is still arising.

So in considering a truck pulling a trailer, the trailer has to follow the lead of the prime mover, BUT in this case, the trailer bears substantial influence upon the direction the prime mover is travelling.

In order to stay on course, the driver of a truck and trailer combination is usually required to provide continuous inputs to the steering. The question of why such inputs are needed is not easily answered if the trailing units are actually appropriately aligned. More often than not, this is not the case. Trailing unit misalignment is the greatest cause of rash drive, influences tyre wear, increases fuel burn and decreases wheel end life, ergo increasing the operating costs.

Instead of rolling over the pavement, the tyres are actually scuffing and being dragged over the running surface. If the axles of the trailing unit are not ‘aligned’ to the appropriate settings, it will pull the tractor off course. Appropriate settings are usually tighter than the broad specification manufacturers suggest (and truck OEMs don’t really care much about trailers).

One transport company was unpleased with the tyre performance it was achieving. The company was looking for efficiencies in its operations, so it engaged TyreSafe Australia to assist.

After inspecting the scrap tyre heaps, it was determined that there was a good prospect of improving the bottom line by a good number of percentage points.

The process of having all the tyres rolling in exactly the same direction was paramount.

Once inflation pressures were brought under control using real-time tyre monitoring systems (TPMS) broadcasting tyre pressure data back to base, several issues were identified by examining how the tyres reacted during the operations.

Topics such as axle camber, wheel bearing preload are all under the old bogey of ‘wheel alignment’ and so were examined along with the actual axle alignment and wheel (tyre assembly) balance. Adjustments were made, tuning the trailers sometimes fraction by fraction.

The first noticeable effect was comments from the drivers such as “we don’t know we’ve got three trailers, this thing steers like a car”, “I can relax and just monitor the drive; I’m no longer fighting the steering wheel trying to keep the rig on the road” and “at the end of my 12-hour shift, I’m feeling fresh, my arms aren’t sore from constantly working the wheel to keep heading where I want to go not where the truck wanted to go” – giving indications that the project was bearing fruit.

All the tyres from the pilot rig were now evidencing evenly shared workloads; the operating pressures were within the acceptable range for all tyres on each axle group. The end-of-life tyres no longer exhibited strange wear patterns; they all were wearing evenly and smoothly, tread consumption was impressive. The projected tyre life increased by a double-digit number according to change out frequency reduction. The most impressive return was from fuel burn rates.

Being a triple trailer unit, a lead trailer followed by two dolly/trailer tri-axle combinations, the fuel burn rate was always going to be high. Starting from a 1.45 km/litre base, the pressures/alignment project presented figures of 1.85 km/litre, a 27 percent improvement. Considering the annual travel was some 250,000 km, the savings were substantial, to say the least.

Add extended wheel end life, reduction of driver fatigue and the tyre life is extended by 10 percent plus the return on the investment is remarkable.

The alignment of the trailing units directly influences the performance of the entire rig. Having tyres wearing evenly means tyre rotations over different axles became a matter of routine periodic maintenance, not a desperate attempt to salvage a few more millimetres of tread before throwing a large percentage of usable rubber away.

Quite often, operators only care about the tractor. For some pulling client trailers, there is little option. They have to pass the costs on to the client when the contract is signed knowing full well that tyre wear is going to be higher than it should be, fuel burn is going to be higher than it needs to be and the potential for a loss of control event is higher than it needs to be.

Observing tyre pressures in real-time now provides opportunities to examine the underlying reasons why the tyres are reacting the way they are. Agreed road conditions are always a challenge, but all tyres on the rig suffer those consequences one way or the other. It is why the tyres react the way they do is what we are interested in.

Having a software database system that can compare real-time inflation pressures from different axles and positions will reveal insights that are usually just dismissed in the scrapyard as ‘that’s life’. Sorry, I am not going to accept observing tread packages that are not evenly worn across the face and around the circumference as being normal. If the leadership provided does not yield success, then question the status quo, is this true leadership or just profit burning?

Dog tracking is not a unique concept. The head end may be pointing in a different direction to the back end, both ends scuffing the surface to achieve the intended direction of travel. I’m sure many of you have followed a trailer going in a different direction than the tractor.

Why are transport operators continuing to consider tyres as consumables when in fact, they are diminishing assets? This is not semantics or wordplay. When tyres are viewed holistically, the return from the asset group (the truck and trailers) can be improved substantially.

Any transport organisation is in business to generate a profit, which surely is the reason for the business venture, is it not? If the profits will be thrown away because of a lack of direction or leadership, is that not akin to a trailer pulling the tractor offline, what I call dog tracking?

Quality tyres wear according to what they experience. Being pulled offline is the fastest way to burn tread rubber; ignoring inflation pressures is the fastest way to burn the casing’s potential. Despite what is said around the scrapyard, actually maximising the return of your tyre investments is not rocket science, diligence and dedication are required.

Success doesn’t reward a lack of effort. (TT)

As part of a strategic effort to increase its presence in the region's premium original equipment (OE) market, Kumho Tire has confirmed its plans to establish its first tyre production facility in Europe by 2027.

The company has shortlisted Poland, Serbia and Portugal as possible locations for the plant, which is projected to need an investment of more than KRW1 trillion (USD 705 million). The decision is closely linked to Kumho’s ambition to strengthen its partnerships with European automakers and was revealed by Kumho Tire CEO during the South Korean premiere of Kumho's new Ecsta Sport tyre line.

Kumho has recently secured OE supply contracts with major brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group. At the moment, Kumho runs eight tyre production plants in China, Vietnam, South Korea and the US. Its capacity to compete in the premium OE market, however, has come to be perceived as being constrained by the absence of a European production base. Through the benefits of local production, the new facility will improve response to European client requests, save freight costs and shorten delivery times, all of which will strengthen the company's partnerships.

Sentury Tire USA has opened pre-enrolment for its two associate dealer programmes (ADPs), the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program and the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program, underscoring the company’s commitment to rewarding dedication and partnership to the Landsail and Delinte brands.

The ADPs, which are customised for each brand and intended to encourage dealers, will formally start on 1 June 2025. Both programmes give dealers access to special benefits, incentives and strong tools to help them expand their businesses. This involves dependable customer service, effective marketing and worthwhile financial incentives to promote dealers' success at every stage.

Beginning in Q3, dealers may earn up to USD three per tyre through the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program. Dealers can receive retroactive benefits for purchases completed in Q2 if they register before 1 June. The awards are available for all Delinte PTR, LTR and the new DV3 LMD AS last-mile delivery tyres. For all Landsail PTR and LTR tyres, independent dealers that sign up for the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program can also earn up to USD three per tyre. For customers who sign up by June 1, the new LMD 100 AS last-mile delivery is also eligible for the benefits and will get the same early bird incentive for Q2 2025.

No initial order is necessary. Dealers only need to register to begin making money. According to the monthly programme rewards structure, 48 tyre purchases each month are eligible for a reward of USD one per tyre, 120 tyres are eligible for a reward of USD two per tyre and 240 or more tyres are eligible for a reward of USD three per tyre.

ENSO, a London-based tyre manufacturer engaged in the production of sustainable tyres specially designed for electric vehicles (EVs), has launched its new ENSO Premium range of EV-specific ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres aimed at drivers of high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Specifically designed for electric passenger vehicles, the ENSO Premium range comes with A/A EU-label ratings for both energy efficiency and wet grip. The tyres are designed to provide safety, increased range and a reduced total cost of ownership. Conventional tyre designs frequently fall short of the special performance needs of electric vehicles, which include greater vehicle weight, regenerative braking and higher torque loads. By lowering tyre wear and rolling resistance, ENSO Premium takes care of these issues.

The company is an authorised provider of replacement tyres for LEVC's electric taxis and has partnered with Uber to install its tyres in high-mileage metropolitan areas. The company now plans to grow throughout Europe and North America, and with ENSO Premium, it is now offering its services to individual EV owners throughout the United Kingdom. According to ENSO, the range offers advantages including longer tyre life and fewer replacements, lower energy usage, fewer charging stops and lower CO₂ emissions and tyre particle pollution.

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO and Co-Founder, ENSO, said, “We’re plugging a long-standing gap in the tyre market by offering EV drivers a purpose-built, affordable, premium EV tyre alternative that matches the innovation of their EV.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has announced a general price hike in North America for its SBS, SIS and HSBC product lines with effect from 1 May 2025.

Following a careful analysis of the effects of recently implemented tariffs, related cost increases and a conclusion that the company cannot independently absorb these repercussions, Kraton is adopting these pricing hikes, according to a company statement. The company further said that it will keep an eye on the scene and reassess these measures promptly in the event that conditions and US import tariffs alter.