How to choose a premium retreader that fits your needs.
By Evan Perrow
Truck tires often represent a major investment, which is why many waste haul fleets depend on retreading to help extend the life of these valuable assets. In fact, some waste haul fleets believe in the benefits of retreading to such an extent that they will retread their truck tires up to four or five times. Thanks to enhancements in design and performance, it seems that there has never been a better time to retread waste haul tires.
Quite simply, today’s waste haul retreads are more technologically advanced than ever. For example, the new retreads can deliver more miles to removal, which is a key benefit for waste haul fleets.
Because of the often-intense, start-and-stop nature of waste haul truck operation—as well as the wide range of surfaces that waste haul trucks roll on—traction is another sought-after waste haul retread attribute.
In addition, many tread designs and tire constructions have been optimized to deliver enhanced fuel efficiency. The use of retreads also has “green” benefits for environmentally conscious waste haul fleets. According to the Web site of the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB), a retread industry association, it takes only 7gallons to retread a medium truck tire casing versus 22 gallons to produce a new medium truck tire. This means that: “every year in North America, the use of retreads saves hundreds of millions of gallons of oil.”
How to Choose a Retreader
There is an old maxim in the tire industry: “A premium retread starts with a premium casing.” This continues to ring true. And premium-quality retreads are produced by premium-quality retread operations. The following tips will help you select a premium-quality retreader:
- Check reputation and references. Select a retreader that has a solid reputation. Ask the retreader for customers’ names, and call these customers for references.
- Interview sales reps. Are the retreader’s salespeople knowledgeable? Do they provide straightforward answers to questions about turnaround time, pricing and other subjects?
- Visit the plant. Will the retread plant manager show you the facility? Does the facility, including the service department and warehouse, look good? The basic elements of the waste haul tire retreading process—time, temperature and pressure—have remained consistent over the years. However, tread rubber quality and tread application processes have been enhanced. Does the plant you are investigating reflect these progressions?
- Evaluate. What is the operation’s turnaround time for finished products? Does the retreader offer valued “extras,” like a mounted wheel program or wheel refinishing? Is the retreader part of a larger network, which can offer round-the-clock emergency roadside assistance, consistent pricing for national account customers, consistent service standards across locations and other advantages?
- Check the condition of the product. Do the retreads inside the shop look like new? Ask about rejection rates. A premium retreader will likely be willing to share this type of information.
- Examine your options. Does the retreader offer a variety of retread processes? How many different treads are available and do they offer like-new performance? Will you have a diverse menu of options?
- Look for IT. Does the retread facility track information about casings? Would you have access to this information? Is there a system in place that can aggregate data into easy-to-read reports, so you can make better decisions about your company’s retread program?
Also give serious consideration to retreaders and commercial tire dealerships that offer a “total solution” approach to helping you reduce your operating costs. Access to reliable services and fleet management tools can go a long way in helping to ensure that you enjoy optimal returns on your tire investment.
Evan Perrow is a marketing manager for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and specializes in tires for waste haul applications. He can be reached at (330) 796-6677 or [email protected].