The results, based on each 8x4 rigid tipper travelling 75,000km a year, showed that with Michelin, the Catterick-based firm would save almost £18,000 with tyre life increased from nine to 22 months.
Shire Aggregates also projects a £7,600 saving in breakdown costs, thanks to a significant reduction in punctures and blowouts – with just one repairable puncture recorded during the trial.
“Being able to see the quantitative results in front of us was eye-opening, as before we weren’t aware of just how much we could be saving,” says Jonathan Simpson, managing director of Shire Aggregates.
“We’ve never had a tyre policy in place and have only ever specified the occasional Michelin tyre. This trial showed us the importance of having a robust and reliable tyre, as the savings versus a budget policy are huge, both in the efficiency of our fleet and the overall running costs.
“It’s really highlighted to us that buying cheaper tyres is a false economy in the long run.”
After the trial, Shire specified Michelin X Works tyres for the 12 new MAN tippers, on a Michelin multi-life policy, with Michelin Remix tyres fitted as replacements once worn.