Containing tyre costs
Page 31
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Three years go CM looked at the case history of an operator with 500 vehicles (CMJuly 19, 1983). We now take another look and update the story ACCURATE RECORDS and costings of tyre usage has always been a feature of the transport operation of London Brick Products (formerly London Brick Company). As part of its effots to keep tyre costs down without jeopardising reliability and safety, the company has, for over 10 years, been retreading its own tyres as a Kentredder licensee to R. E. Tyre and Rubber Co, Mill Lane, Alton, Hampshire. Three years ago, London Brick operated the retreading plant at its Ridgmont works. Since then, the equipment has been transferred to a new purpose-built 60ft x 25ff retreading shop at the company's main site at Stewartby, Bedfordshire. The opportunity was taken to reequip the operation and this, together with the additional floor area available has increased output capacity. Major casing repairs previously sent to an outside tyre specialist are now done at Stewartby.
The main item of new equipment and time-saver installed there is the latest Kentredder Mark 9 buffer/peeler machine used to prepare casings to take the new tread. Further time savings are achieved through the use of one of the most up to date casing inspection machines and Mark II Control Panels for the retreading moulds introduced recently by R.E. Tyre and Rubber.
The automatic control feature enables the moulds to be programmed so that they are heated up ready for the start of the working shift and switched off at a pre-set time when the cure is completed after staff have left.
The staff of three men — John Clifford (chargehand), Richard Ward and Steve Williams — who operate the Ridgmont plar transferred to Stewartby whe they come under the vmntrol Alan Cullum, transport superii tendent of the depot, althouq overall responsibility for the r treading work is with Clive Pric transport engineer of Londc Brick Products.
With the staff of three workir on a single-shift five-day wee output capacity at the ne Stewartby plant is 75 truck-ty retreads a week, 50 per ce greater than that possible whe the plant was sited at Ridgmor Production in the past wr confined to retreading tyres fl the London Brick road-goir fleet of around 500 vehicles ar mainly 11-22.5 and 10.00-: radials.
However, with the extra cap city, the processing of word fork-lift truck tyres has now be( introduced.
At Ridgmont in 1982 mo than 2,5 0 0 casings wer processed and it is estimat( that the savings over boughtremoulds during the year we around £100,000 after taking in account discounts.
It is expected that unit cos will now be contained or evr reduced despite the general te dency for costs to increase. B this is only one side of the arg merit. The other is reliability ar expected life; the Kentred pr duct currently returns up 50,000 miles depending on a plication.
• by Tony Wilding