Dragster on retreads
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RETREAD TYRE manufacturers are trying to improve the image of their industry and product. The Retread Manufacturers' Association has pointed out that it takes far less oil to make a retread compared with a brand-new tyre, giving an appreciable energy saving. Industry Secretary Sir Keith Joseph has invited the Association to propose ways in which the Government can encourage such savings by the industry.
Last week members of the Association met officials of the Department of Industry to discuss this and among the suggestions was to equip local authority vehicles with retreads. It was pointed out that the French Government last year started encouraging the use of retreads and worthwhile savings have resulted.
Brian Lawton, technical manager of retread manufacturer Bandag, has called for a restriction on the export of used quality tyre casings, saying that these are easily retreaded and hence are valuable commodities.
It did not make sense to sell used quality tyre casings abroad and at the same time import new Eastern tyres whose quality was not suitable for retreading, he said.
To improve the image of the retread tyre within the commercial vehicle industry, Bandag is running a retread-shoe dragster version of a Ford DSeries lorry capable of around 100 mph.