Bandvulc Releases New Regional Haul Tyres
Bandvulc, a company owned by Continental and specializing in the production of retreaded truck tires, has introduced a new model, Deliverymaster 5, for the steering axle, designed to meet the needs of regional fleets of light trucks. The new model replaces the Regiomaster BDE1 in 17.5 and 19.5 inch rim diameters, and the manufacturer claims that compared to its predecessor, the all-weather performance has been improved.
It is also reported that the tires work reliably in stop-and-go mode, while the tread pattern, which meets the 3PMSF standard, provides the necessary traction on snow, as well as being optimized for quick water evacuation from the contact area with the road. The tires are available in four sizes, from 205/75 R17.5 to 285/70 R19.5.
Deliverymaster 5 tires are manufactured at the ContiLifeCycle plant in Ivybridge (Devon, UK), whose director, Tony Mailling, noted that during the development process, the company collaborated with customers to understand the challenges they face in their daily work, one of which is the increased risk of sidewall damage when intensively contacting curbs. For this reason, the sidewalls of the new tires have been equipped with reinforcing elements, and in addition, the design has been improved to ensure that the tires handle frequent starts and stops during delivery well.
According to Mailling, “retreading is part of Continental's strategy to create a closed product life cycle in the industry, and operators can continue to use high-quality casings after the original tread has worn out. By applying a cyclical approach, operators have the opportunity to optimize the operation of their tire fleet and contribute to more resource-efficient operation of fleets”.
The head of the ContiLifeCycle plant also added that depending on the condition of the casing and operating conditions, premium retreaded tires can also be used in subsequent retreading cycles, which makes it possible to increase their potential mileage.
Bandvulc was founded in 1971, starting to import rubber from Malaysia and retread tires, and in 2016 the company was acquired by Continental. In the early days of its history, Bandvulc produced about 30 retreaded tires per week, and in recent years this figure has been increased to one tire every three minutes.