Page 20 - CTB N16 - 2016-04

IAA REVIEW
New Sizes for Aeolus NEO Allroads T+
Bridgestone Driving into the Future with e-Jobsheet
Launched in 2015, the Aeolus ATR33 trailer tyre was the forebearer of the newly launched NEO range
of truck and trailer tyres from Aeolus, a representative selection of which was displayed by Dutch tyre wholesaler Heuver Tyrewholesale on their stand in Hannover. Aeolus is
testing on their tyres, and the ATR33 was the first spin-off”, says Bertus Heuver, director at Heuver Tyrewholesale. “The tyre was immediately popular thanks to its modern 4-layer strip technology and modern profile. And after covering a lot of kilometres, customers were
ver y positive in their reactions. Aeolus is currently
performing internal testing so the new sizes can be produced. The ATR33 is the forebearer of the NEO series and will now also bear the new name. After good results during practical tests, we are looking forward to the new tyres because they will allow us to serve a large part of the trailer market. The NEO series gives customers the best of the best at very attractive prices. The tyre is very competitive.” Heuver
Tyrewholesale can supply the ATR33 (Neo Allroads T+) from stock in size 385/65R22.5 (160K/158L). The following sizes will be available as of 2017:
• 385/55R22.5 (160K),
• 425/65R22.5 (165K),
• 445/65R22.5 (169K).
Thanks to the ver y latest 4-layer strip technology, the tyres comply with the strictest European norms and requirements, which are the benchmark at worldwide level. The profile features S-shaped horizontal grooves, closed shoulder sections and excellent ‘roundness’, and is suitable for retreading.
Bridgestone is promising to cut down on time, paper and general inconvenience by rolling out a reporting solution to its dealers for the first time. After officially unveiling Bridgestone’s link with e- Jobsheet - a digital tablet based work management system - at the 2014 Reifen Essen show, they are now aligning its first Bridgestone Partner member with the technology. Bridgestone has worked with CAM International to assist in the creation of the tool, which is designed to reduce back-office data entry and Kingsway Tyres, a UK Bridgestone Partner, has become the first retail network to implement the ‘joined- up’ technology.
e-Jobsheet promises to save time, improve data accuracy and provide a complete breakdown of the life of each and every tyre fitted. It provides dealers and fleets with significant service and efficiency benefits in an open and inclusive, yet structured and secured way.
Bridgestone’s back office manager Mike Howling said: “This is the first time a tyre manufacturer has linked e-Jobsheet to a dealer management system and now it is in place at Kingsway, it will be rolled out to
other Bridgestone Partners. The offering sits within our Total Tyre Care package of fleet support and not only benefits the dealer, but the fleet as well.”
The device replaces more antiquated, paper-based methods of reporting with a digital tablet-driven, cloud- based mobile data exchange, which provides full details of each and every tyre manufactured by Bridgestone – from the moment it is fitted right through to its end of life, including any retreading processes. It does away with the process of a fitter filling in a sheet, passing it to a depot administrator, only for them to then upload it to Bridgestone’s reporting system at a later date. Instead, the fitter would upload the information to a tablet, thus creating clean, paperless data and real-time information for fleets.
Howling added: “By working with CAM International on this open platform, we can offer fleets improved visibility of their work and a substantial reduction in ‘double- keying’ and other administrative effects, historically common to orchestrating job authorisation, service billing and payment collection between parties.”
Bertus Heuver
now developing new sizes for this trailer tyre, which means it will now be available for the majority of the trailer market. The name of the ATR33 will also be changed to NEO Allroads T+ in order to fit into the new NEO series range. However, according to Heuver, the tyre itself will not change because, in terms of construction, it was actually the first tyre in the new series. New sizes for the NEO Allroads T+ will start to be produced later this year and are expected to become available at the start of 2017.
“We worked with Aeolus to perform comprehensive market analyses and
Vanhawk 2 from Firestone Set for January Release
20 Commercial Tyre Business
Firestone has developed the new-generation Vanhawk 2, a tough versatile light-truck tyre that endeavours to give the driver total confidence on the road. The concept behind the tyre was delivering owners or drivers of light trucks a product that was suitable for a variety of job types from short runs to longer hauls, stop-go deliveries to constant manoeuvring. This meant that the tyre needed to ensure good handling and road comfort, as well durability to withstand intense daily usage.
The original Vanhawk was
renowned for its durability
and wear life, but for the Vanhawk 2 Firestone has improved wet weather handling and fuel economy. Further to this, they have upgraded the pattern design to achieve EU label B grade in wet grip, for sharper braking and safer handling in the rain. The company has also tuned the tread and compound to improve the tyre’s
rolling resistance up to a C grade, helping to improve fuel consumption and reduce carbon emissions. Firestone Vanhawk 2 will be available from tyre dealers across Europe in 20 popular sizes from January 2017 and in 2 additional sizes in the second half of the year.
CommercialTyre
Management
and Fleet Business
The Vanhawk 2
The newly designated NEO range from Aeolus