Fleet safety honour goes to Michelin09 July 2010

Michelin's X One MaxiTrailer tyre has been named as Fleet Safety Product of the Year at the annual Fleet Safety Forum awards for excellence, organised by road safety charity Brake.

The decision follows analysis of data from a tilt-table at Qinetiq's test centre in Chobham. This evaluation found that a fully laden 44-tonne tractor unit and trailer fitted with 455/45 R 22.5 X One MaxiTrailer tyres achieved a 6.5% improvement in tilt angle, compared with the standard 385/65 R22.5 tyre fitment.

The judging panel concluded: "The X One MaxiTrailer tyre was selected as the winner for its innovative design and demonstrable results in improving the safety of truck trailers, through a reduced risk of rollovers. Michelin's commitment to continually improving the safety performance of its products shone through in its entry."

Michelin claims that more than 75 fleets in the UK already use X One MaxiTrailer tyres, with Cheshire-based Boughey Distribution the largest user in Europe – having 150 sets on its trailers

The company also says it entered the award on the recommendation of an owner-driver and frequent contributor to Big Lorry Blog, who writes under the pseudonym 'The Boss'. In a posting in October 2009, he praised Michelin for having produced "tyres that should be sold as offering stability with a capital S" and which he likened to being "Formula One tyres for the road haulage industry."

Describing his experience pulling a trailer fitted with X One MaxiTrailer tyres, The Boss added: "Taking this tyre to the limit [for test purposes only], on bends, roundabouts and even across the motorway central reservation in some roadworks had the trailer sitting like a big fat Buddha. It did not budge, not even so much as a small roll."

Author
John Challen

Related Companies
Michelin Tyre plc

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