Cardboard and paper recycler DS Smith has contracted Michelin Solutions to supply, fit and manage the tires across its fleets of 191 commercial vehicle recycling vehicles, for the next three years.
The new EffiTires agreement sees Michelin Solutions expand its remit with DS Smith to include 100% of its vehicle PARC, adding the recycling fleet to the 378 trucks and trailers already under contract from the firm’s logistics and corrugated packaging operations.
Kate Dally, general manager for business improvement at DS Smith, said, “As a business, we want to be more connected. We already enjoy an excellent long-term relationship with Michelin Solutions through our other divisions, and after seeing how well the EffiTires contract worked for them, we decided to introduce the service to our recycling business.
“The level of professionalism from Michelin Solutions is second to none and we have been really impressed with our key account manager – his tire management expertise adds real value to our business.
Dally continued, “Our fleet can be on the road up to six days a week, and most of the time we’re operating fully loaded, so fitting a premium brand like Michelin also makes perfect sense. Plus the pence-per-kilometer structure of the deal means our costs directly match our activity levels.”
As part of the service from Michelin Solutions, DS Smith benefits from regular vehicle inspections to ensure its tires are being managed as efficiently as possible, and to spot potential issues before they result in unexpected downtime. Inspections are carried out by UK nationwide supplier ATS Euromaster, with a KPI to ensure at least 70% of the fleet is inspected every month, and 100% every quarter.
Michelin Solutions has begun actively replacing the fleet’s existing tires as wear dictates, with new fitments from the Michelin X Multi range.
The contract also includes emergency roadside assistance in the event of a tire-related breakdown, with Michelin Solutions targeted with getting a technician to the roadside with the correct replacement tire within a 90-minute window from receipt of the call.
