What to consider when choosing a tyre supplier
According to Brit European, it looks for more than tyres when it chooses its supplier of rubber. CVW reports.
Brit European, claimed to be the UK’s largest mover of plant and construction equipment, has renewed its contract with Prometeon Tyre Group. The renewal signifies the continuation of a long-standing partnership between the two firms, with a 12-month rolling pay-asyou- go contract. The agreement incorporates Prometeon’s central billing and tyre management tool, ‘PRO Management’.
The contract encompasses the entirety of Brit European’s fleet, which includes 162 tractor units and rigids, 201 trailers, as well as a variety of cars and vans. Prometeon is set to supply Brit European with its advanced Serie02 tyre products, tailored to meet the needs of its heavy haulage vehicles.
Andy Evans, optimisation manager at Brit European, said that the company has stuck with Prometeon because the tyre supplier has grown with it and has made itself a part of the team.
“Its exemplary tyre management skills, outstanding customer support, and comprehensive dealer network have helped to secure our continued growth,” he explained.
“The premium Pirelli branded truck tyres, which are engineered, produced and sold by Prometeon, have been proven over the years to suit our fleet’s needs – a tyre failure is virtually unheard of.”
Prometeon, for its part, is delighted to have been so firmly endorsed by such a high profile client. Wayne Bell, Prometeon’s national fleet manager, commented: “We are proud to be a valued partner of Brit European, and alongside our dedicated tyre network, we will continue to deliver the best tyre products and proactive tyre management service supporting Brit European’s operational demands.”
The Brit European heavy haulage fleet transports plant and construction machinery for household names such as JCB and Mercedes Trucks and Vans over the length and breadth of the UK motorway network, with specialist port staff at Immingham, Lincolnshire, and Purfleet, Essex. This is a high mileage fleet that travels well over one million kilometres a year transporting an average of 120 JCB machines a day.
According to Evans, the affinity between the two companies goes beyond supplying tyres and even extends to supporting Brit European’s drive to achieve net zero. This is a very serious proposition, as shown by its ‘Net Zero’ head office in Middlewich, Cheshire.
Even though it is just off junction 18 of the M6, the Vita Nova centre operates entirely off-grid. It utilises 80 solar panels that generate 35kW of electricity, supplemented by the latest wind towers. The building is modular, constructed from a repurposed steel frame, and has been awarded an ‘A’ energy efficiency rating. Additionally, the centre has achieved an 85% reduction in water usage on site.
So Prometeon’s own practices came under scrutiny, according to Evans, to make sure that the supplier matched its own standards of sustainability.
“Significantly reducing waste both on our site and with our fleet operations is an important goal for our business,” he said. “And we know Prometeon has a high level of environmental awareness and commitment to sustainability across all its operations both in the UK and worldwide.”
Prometeon’s tyre recycling and retread programmes, for instance, was evidence that it was the perfect fit. Naturally Bell is happy to agree, commenting: “We fully support Brit Europeans visionary thinking of creating a 100% carbon neutral operations centre, and we will continue to work closely with them towards achieving ‘net zero’ by 2050.”
