Since 2018, Vipal has carried out a number of evaluative tests with Spanish hauliers on its VT110 tread and has achieved a number of positive results, which have proved the design’s quality and high acceptance levels within the medium and long-haul transportation sector. The positive results have now been re-confirmed thanks to a further set of evaluations carried out in Spain recently.
Valencia Hauliers Give Vipal the Thumbs Up
The assessments were developed in partnership with Spanish carriers located in the province of Valencia, Tráficos Manuel Ferrer from the city of Alfafar, and Trans Joaquín Buendía from Alaquàs. In the first performance test, conducted together with Vipal's authorised retreading provider, Renovados Muralla located in Ávila in Castilla y León, an Iveco 500 truck belonging to the Tráficos Manuel Ferrer fleet was equipped with four traction tyres retreaded with the VT110 tread, running regularly (in service) on Spanish roads. The tyre achieved results of 321,917 kilometres, a much-improved performance when compared to the new tyres being previously used, which had an average of 240,000 kilometres.
The result was widely approved by the carrier. "From now on, Tráficos Manuel Ferrer places its trust in the quality and good performance of Vipal, making exclusive use of the company's services to retread all the tyres on its vehicles," says Vicente Navarro, the carrier's Fleet Director.
Meanwhile, the test held with Trans Joaquín Buendía was in partnership with Recauchutados Herca, located in the city of Zaragoza. The transport company's expectation was 180,000 kilometres, based on previous records provided by a competitor retread brand. The VT110 tread was applied to the traction axle tyres of a Scania R440, and yielded an impressive 289,673 kilometres.
The fleet's general manager, Joaquín Buendía, commented that his company “will only use Vipal treads and retreading because of the high quality and good performance of its products". Traditional in the transportation segment, Trans Joaquín Buendía was founded in 1971, has its own fleet, and its trucks cover more than 1 million kilometres each year carrying cargo throughout the Iberian Peninsula.
Vipal's VT110 tread is suitable for radial tyres fitted on traction axles. Its design is intended to optimise traction capacity and reduce rolling resistance, enabling lower fuel consumption. The grooves were developed with protrusions on the bottom to avoid the retention of stones and objects, providing greater protection to the tyre structure against damages. The width of the central blocks has a larger contact area with the ground in order to maximise performance. Furthermore, the reinforced shoulders provide greater resistance to the extreme torque forces resulted from side dragging.
"In recent years, we have intensified tests on fleets, and we have obtained quite positive results, like these with Spanish carriers. Thus, we are able to confirm and prove not only the quality of our products, but the benefits of retreading, including the savings created for the companies in the segment. This is very important for Vipal and for the sector as a whole, because we have made it possible to increase profitability and competitiveness by reducing vehicle maintenance costs," says Fabrício Nedeff, Vipal's Commercial Manager in Europe.
