Beverage Industry, July 1993 v84 n7 p53(2) 
                The retread advantage. (tires) (Fleet Maintenance Special 
                Report) Michelle L. Willman. 
            Abstract: Tires represent beverage fleet operators' second-biggest 
            expense, but retreaded tires can provide an environmentally sound 
            and cost-effective alternative to new tires. In 1992, retreads 
            accounted for 41% of replacement truck-tire sales. Experts agree 
            that cost is the primary benefit of using retreads, which generally 
            are as safe and durable as new tires. 
            Full Text: COPYRIGHT Edgell Communications Inc. 1993 
            Summer is the season for road construction. And with road 
            construction comes frequent stops and starts, extra braking, tight 
            maneuvering and road debris. As all fleet owners know, good tires 
            are essential to safety and efficiency. 
            But buying new tires can be costly. In fact, next to fuel costs, 
            tires are a fleet operator's biggest expense. But many companies are 
            taking advantage of a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial 
            alternative: retreads. 
               In 1992, 41 percent of all replacement truck tires were retreads, 
            according to a Modern Tire Dealer survey. During the same year, 16.7 
            million medium- to heavy-duty truck tires (on 18-wheelers) were 
            retreads, according to the National Tire Dealer and Retreaders 
            Association in Washington, D.C. About 15 million new tires were 
            purchased. 
            "The obvious advantage (to retreading) is price," says Lloyd R. 
            Stoyer, editor of Modern Tire Dealer magazine. "Retreads are much 
            cheaper and equally safe (as new tires)." 
            Other experts agree cost is the major benefit. "Retreading costs 
            one-third to one-half the price of a new tire," says Don Schauer, a 
            spokesman for Bandag Inc., a retreader in Muscatine, Iowa. 
            In the case of beverage delivery trucks, curb damage and sidewall 
            scuffing most often occur, says Richard E. Volk, vice president of 
            marketing at the Oliver Group, an Oakland, Calif.-based retreader. 
            To combat this problem, some retread processors can create stronger 
            sidewalls. 
            Companies can get an average of three to four retreadings per 
            casing, Schauer says. Depending on what tread design is used, 
            retreads generally will last for the same amount or more miles than 
            new tires. Durability also depends on what kind of radials you 
            purchase at the beginning. "If you buy cheap tires, they're not 
            going to be as retreadable," Schauer says. The American Retreaders 
            Association in Louisville, Ky., will recommend which tires are the 
            best purchase for future retreading. 
            But John Buettner Sr., director of the Tire Retreading Institute in 
            Washington, D.C., is quick to note that the "life cycle of a retread 
            depends on the integrity of the casing." Other factors that could 
            shorten a tire's life are road surfaces, terrain and tread design. 
               After tires have been retread two to five times - depending on 
            the condition of the casing - and can't be retread again, companies 
            do need to buy new tires. "They still have to bring new casings into 
            the fleet," says Schauer. Some casings are going to be destroyed. 
            When a company buys a new truck, the new equipment comes with new 
            tires. 
            Most 18-wheeler fleets will use new tires on a truck's steer axels, 
            while retreads are used for the drive axel and trailer axel. 
            Although some operators do use retreads on the steer axel, usually 
            on delivery vans or pick-ups, the industry norm is to "work from 
            front to rear," says Buettner. If a fleet buys new tires, they will 
            go on the steer axel, and the retreads will be moved back to the 
            drive and trailer axels. 
            But the true key to tire maintenance is taking care of the casings, 
            Schaeur says. "Checking the air pressure is a key factor in 
            extending tire life," he says. Pressure should be checked at least 
            once a week, preferably more. 
            "Look for injuries every night and repair them as soon as possible," 
            Schauer says. He also advises against letting a tire wear down below 
            the legal tread depth limit. 
            On the green front, retreading has earned a gold star. In 1992, more 
            than 30 million tires were retread, "saving Americans over 400 
            million gallons of oil," says Harvey Brodsky, managing director of 
            the Tire Retread Information Bureau, Pacific Grove, Calif. 
            "It takes 22 gallons of oil to make a truck tire," Schauer explains. 
            Most of the oil is found in the casings. It requires 7 gallons of 
            oil to retread. 
            Retreads also shine in the area of landfills. If a tire is retread 
            three times, a company is reducing its landfill option. 
            Before retreading, Buettner recommends looking for a retreader that 
            has the NTDRA A-rating. To receive this rating, retreaders must pass 
            NTDRX's retread inspection program for processing quality. 
             
             Article A13234003