Rubber Compounding
Rubber plays a vital role in all our lives and has become essential for our comfort, safety and prosperity. It is extensively used in transport, construction, industry, healthcare and at home. The largest application is vehicles tyres. The European rubber industry has long recognised that rubber products need to be made of safe materials for the protection of both the consumer and the employees in the workplace. Every effort has therefore been taken to ensure that as far as possible materials do not pose a health hazard and in recent years the industry has been equally aware of environmental needs including recycling and safe disposal. The companies involved in the Rubber Compounding network seek yet further improvements with sufficient expertise and knowledge to respond quickly and effectively to incoming legislation and specifications regarding health, safety and environmental issues.
Retreading Industry
Radialization, improved quality, lack of understanding and consolidation are some of the issues the retreading industry has had to deal with the past 35 years. However, with the advancement of technology and economies of scale, retread manufacturing has reached a level of quality and sophistication unprecedented in its history, and today's retread plants are much larger than ever before.
Retreading, a business with an illustrious past, has an equally bright future. The casing of a radial truck tyre is now an investment, and the only way one gets a return is to retread it.
Radialization, which seriously undermined the passenger retreading market, was a boon to the truck tyre retreading market.
Retreaded truck tyres represent a savings of over $2 billion dollars annually for truckers and trucking companies in North America. Similarly for China, there lies a bright future for the China retreading industry. China Tire Retreading and Recycling Association mentioned that the China government |
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has reported that in 2004, China manufactured 239 million tyres and at the same time, produced 120 million worn tyres, a number that is expected to grow by 12% annually.
For most fleets, tyres represent the third largest item in their operation budget right after labour and fuel costs. The lowest possible cost-per-mile is achieved with a good tyre management program that includes the use of quality retreads. Retreads are the replacement tyre of choice for truckers and fleets who purchase more than 18 million retreads annually in the United State and Canada.
Retreads are not only cost effective, but they are also dependable, reliable and safe. Retreads are used by truckers with scheduled delivery times, small package delivery companies with guaranteed delivery times, on commercial and military jets and by most school bus operators. Retreads are environmentally friendly. Tyres are basically petrochemical products. It takes 22 gallons of oil to manufacture one new truck tire. Most of the oil is found in the casing, which is reused in the retreading process. As a result, it takes only 7 gallons of oil to produce a retread.
Retreaders, like trucking companies, have experienced considerable consolidation. Today, the most successful retreaders are those with the highest quality products, delivering the best possible return on investment to the fleets. Because of the competitive nature of the retreading industry, truckers can expect to see continuous improvement in quality, durability and reliability, as the major retread suppliers annually invest millions of dollars in research and development.
Back on earth, the future of retreading is dependent on the same principles that have enabled existing retreaders to remain in business. Constant attention to quality control, operating expenses, and equipment maintenance are at the core of every successful plant.
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