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IAA REVIEW
Bridgestone Demonstrates the Benefits of Tirematics at IAA
CommercialTyre
Management
and Fleet Business
Tirematics delivers an added-value service to fleet operators through its approach to tyre maintenance
Bridgestone demonstrated its innovative ‘Tirematics’ tyre monitoring system at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016 trade fair in Hannover. Tirematics encompasses all Bridgestone’s connected tyre solutions: IT systems that use sensors to remotely monitor, transmit and analyse real-time information, such as the pressure and temperature of commercial truck and bus tyres. During Bridgestone’s press conference at the show, Michael Codron, head of Bridgestone EMEA's commercial business unit, presented a comprehensive video that outlined the Total Tyre Concept for members of the
provides added value to fleet operators by taking a proactive approach to tyre maintenance, before serious problems arise, helping to reduce vehicle downtime and roadside breakdowns, while optimising tyre life and fuel economy.
Bridgestone has been providing a TPMS-based tyre pressure monitoring service as part of its fleet service programme since 2013, via the ‘sensors and gate’ system displayed at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016.
Every time a vehicle passes through the gate, special valves on the vehicle tyres send pressure data via the GSM network to the
the server, with over 25,000 tyres measured daily.
Expanding on the existing Tirematics connected tyre solution, Bridgestone is now trialing a system to bring further benefits to the fleet. In addition to tyre pressure and temperature information, this also offers relevant vehicle data to the server, continuously, allowing Bridgestone’s data processing system to react quickly to pressure issues, informing the fleet and breakdown service if a tyre is deflating. The system also enables advanced algorithms to generate predictive maintenance scheduling. Proactive alerts and regular maintenance reports allow the fleet and service provider to keep the fleet running efficiently at its
optimal level. Some truck fleets have already reported reductions of 75% in tyre-related roadside breakdowns. Moreover, fleets potentially save around 0.5% in fuel consumption due to the improved inflation condition of their fleet.
Bridgestone believes Tirematics will further lead to significant cost savings on tyre maintenance, since monitoring tyre information with a remote eliminates the need to check pressure with manual labour. More efficient maintenance will allow tyres to be used for longer and more safely. This therefore reduces the number of tyres discarded prematurely and the total number consumed, delivering more cost reductions through efficiencies.
Bridgestone Partner Introduced to Total Tyre Care Concept
Michael Codron head of Bridgestone EMEA's commercial business unit explains Tirematics
media, covering new systems like BASys (casing management), Toolbox (fleet auditing) and Total Tyre Manager (fleet reporting). Codron revealed that today more than 60 major fleets are using the company’s first Tirematics solution, and it continues to be developed.
The Tirematics fleet solution
Bridgestone fleet data server. Tyre pressure is evaluated in real-time and if it falls outside the pre- defined limits, an email is automatically generated to the fleet and service provider, so that immediate action can be taken. Reports can also be automatically created. More than 100,000 tyres are currently monitored through
Bridgestone has re-shaped its Truck Point pan-European fleet service network of tyre dealers with the introduction of Bridgestone Partner. The move reflects Bridgestone’s commitment to support fleets by providing Total Tyre Care in order to reduce fleet operational costs.
The new Bridgestone approach is an interesting proposition for dealers as Andy Christmas, Managing Director, Lodge Tyre Co, UK, explains: “To be working closely with Bridgestone is great news for our business. They have spent a great deal of time and resources in developing a more consultative, partnership-based relationship with our joint fleet customers and we’re delighted to be a key part of their service network as an official Bridgestone Partner.”
The Bridgestone Partner service network is the cornerstone for delivering Total Tyre Care to fleets and with the combination of Bridgestone and its professional Bridgestone Partner dealers, it has the capacity to provide the products and services needed to reduce fleet operational costs. Steven De Bock, Director Truck & Bus, Commercial Business Unit, Bridgestone Europe comments: “Customer demands are constantly changing as they continually look
to reduce their tyre cost as a part of the total cost of ownership. We are meeting this demand head-on by aligning our service network to Bridgestone’s Total Tyre Care strategy. The quality and profile of the Bridgestone brand is one of our strongest assets, so it makes sense that we incorporate our re- shaped Truck Point network under a single service umbrella that is instantly recognisable to our end users: the Bridgestone Partner network.”
Bridgestone has recently invested in developing a more advisory approach in its relationships with fleet customers, offering “cradle-to- grave” tyre expertise and services that reduce costs over the whole life of a tyre, rather than just supplying new tyres at competitive prices. Although tyres represent a small part of fleet operating costs (2% to 4%), they can have significant impact on other major cost areas such as fuel consumption and vehicle uptime. The new Bridgestone Partner network, which is widely independently quality-assessed, will be a key component of the Total Tyre Care package with it being further strengthened by Bandag, the retread offer for the service.
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