The policy has been in place for 18 months and, says Heron, it expects further savings as the tyres are turned and regrooved.
The fleet completes two rounds of multi-drop deliveries to stores each day and, says the operator, vehicle uptime and fuel consumption have also improved after switching to Michelin.
“Our trucks cover a serious mileage each year and durable, hard-wearing tyres are proving integral to keeping operating costs low,” says Karl Dawson, Heron’s head of logistics.
“The move to Michelin rubber has unlocked a more cost-effective tyre policy, plus we have the peace of mind that by fitting a premium brand we’re benefiting from the best reliability, safety, fuel efficiency and compliance that we need as a vehicle operator.”
He adds: “We only have a couple of spare vehicles on any given day so it’s paramount the trucks stay on the road. Many of our stores are in pedestrian zones, meaning that deliveries are strictly timed. If we miss a timed delivery slot we are forced to wait – and ultimately that translates into lost sales.”
Tyre management is carried out by ATS Euromaster, whose technicians visit the Humberside-based operator’s depot in the evenings to minimise fleet disruption.