Grocontinental, a major logistics provider, and Michelin have signed a three-year EFFITIRES™ tyre management contract. The deal marks a commitment from the two-time Motor Transport Haulier of the Year to continue fitting Michelin tyres across its fleet of 180 truck and trailer assets until at least 2021, replacing a transactional agreement with Michelin and service partner ATS Euromaster which began 11 years ago.

The two companies are starting a long-standing working partnership that covers more than 1,200 running tyres across Grocontinental’s fleet. Key to the deal was the ability for Grocontinental to benefit from a stable and manageable tyre budget based on activity, combining a premium fitment policy with expert tyre husbandry and access to detailed management information on tyre wear and condition.

“When we initially switched to a Michelin policy in 2007 it was a difficult choice for us to make because of the length of time we had worked with our previous supplier, but the decision has proven to be a very successful one for our fleet,” said David Grocott, Managing Director at Grocontinental.

“As we continue to grow, there were clear financial and operational benefits to adopting a tyre management contract and Michelin was the obvious partner. Tyres are not something we’re prepared to compromise on – they play a critical role in everything from our safety and uptime to fuel efficiency. Michelin has a strong track record with us and their products are first class; when you combine that with the financial benefits of the deal, we knew this was the right move,” David added.

Covering all aspects of tyre maintenance and inspections, the contract ensures that tyres across the Grocontinental fleet are managed as efficiently as possible – including regrooving and retreading every casing to extend its life and reduce unnecessary raw material depletion. The policy also includes fleet-wide tyre inspections to optimise replacement intervals and spot any potential issues before they result in downtime.