The Fleet Engineer for transport and storage specialist TP Niven has praised Michelin for its role in ensuring his vehicles can operate at maximum utilisation during these unprecedented times.
Michelin Delivering for TP Niven
In an email to Michelin Account Manager Gary Scott, Duncan McFegan wrote: “Your help in keeping our fleet on the road has been invaluable. You are an integral part of supplying four of our depots in Lockerbie, Edingham, Palnackie and Mauchline, keeping 96 tractor units and 150 trailers on the road.”
TP Niven lifts 1.7 million litres of milk every day on behalf of major dairies, including 70 per cent of the organic milk produced in Britain. In normal times the firm’s high-mileage fleet is double-shifted, averaging 250,000 km per truck, per year, but in the last fortnight movements have spiked by a further 12 per cent.
McFegan, who also holds the role of Fleet Manager for TP Niven, explains: “We demand a huge amount from our suppliers, particularly when utilisation is running this high. Knowing our trucks are operating on Michelin tyres gives me real peace of mind. In our experience, there’s no better tyre for guaranteeing uptime – as has been proven this last fortnight.”
As well as moving large volumes of milk, TP Niven’s fleet carries payloads including pharmaceuticals, electrical products and pet supplies. It fits robust Michelin X Works XZY tyres on its milk collection tankers, which can be required to navigate around 10 km of farm tracks every day, on top of up to 500 km by road. The remainder of the fleet runs on Michelin X Multi regional tyres – fitting both new and Remix.
Commenting on the support received from Michelin, he adds: “Gary is a great communicator and really looks after us. He talks directly with my fitters to ensure the right stocks of Michelin tyres are delivered to our dealer, Stewartry Tyres, every Friday. He makes everything run smoothly.”
TP Niven was a long-time Michelin customer until two years ago, when it trialled tyres from a competing premium brand in an effort to reduce costs. Within less than a year, McFegan brought his business back to Michelin, citing rising costs, uneven and increased tyre wear, plus shuddering felt by his drivers through the steering wheel.
The fleet has been back on a Michelin policy since March 2019.
