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TYREXPO AFRICA
Leen van’t Hof, pictured here with his son Leendert
Leadertread Expands Capacity and Product Range
Leader Rubber Company, the South Africa based tread rubber manufacturer, has announced that it has installed a new 11metre-5 deck press at its manufacturing facility near Johannesburg, which will help the company increase its production capacity by 240 tonnes per month. Installed in February, the new press will help meet an urgent demand for extra tonnage due to increased local and export demand.
Meanwhile, the company has
announced the launch of a new environmentally-friendly tread compound called Ecotread, which is claimed to provide users with an improved cpk performance. Ecotread is initially available in two designs, E48 and E43.
E48 is a trailer design for moderate mixed roads and off road conditions. It features a new wide and light tread, which combines with the Ecotread compound to reduce heat build-up on medium and longer routes, whilst extended
casing life and improving cost per kilometre. The design also features specially designed tread grooves to reduce stone retention and optimise water evacuation as well as rounded shoulders to combat scrub in high-scrub fleets. Meanwhile, E43 is a drive axle design for over the road long haul, regional and metro service. The design features wide tread widths and reduced skid depth, which combines with the Ecotread
compound to produce improved cpk and mileage. The pattern also incorporates optimised tread block angles for reduced heel and toe wear, tie bars between the central blocks for improved stability and a block and sipe design for improved grip in both wet and dry conditions.
Bandenmarkt Reveal Plans for Comprehensive Guide to Specialist Tyres
of fantasy rather than cutting each others’ throats”, he says. Retreading Business ran into Leen and Leendert at the Tyrexpo Africa show where Leen revealed that the company is planning an extensive new catalogue showing every tyre that they do pictured on the machine it’s meant for. The book, called “Tyre and Wheel Innovative Solutions” is a labour of love for Leen and has taken him a put together. Bandenmarkt supply a huge range of tyres for special agricultural and industrial applications – tyres for agricultural trailers, dumpers, mixer-feeders, wheel loaders, telescopic handlers, mobile excavators, hook arm systems, motor graders etc. The company uses both aircraft tyres and truck tyres as a base for their retreads. However, if casings are not available, the company simply gets a new tyre made. Examples of the company’s capacity for innovation are the specialist Railmaster tyres, designed to be driven on a rail or the company’s 315/80 R 22.5 grader tyres on which
Bandenmarkt has an international patent. These are effectively two tyres screwed together. According to van’t Hof, the German Bundeswehr now stipulates the fitment of Bandenmarkt tyres on their graders at OE, regardless of the brand of grader they buy. Bandenmarkt also imports a number of new tyre brands such as Eurogrip, Jinyu truck tyres, Boto and Hilo radial OTR tyres and Torch cross ply tyres. In addition the company has its own brand Delcora, Tyresoles low loader and truck tyres, Voltyre and Dneproshina Russian tractor tyres plus other brands such as Tianli and Petlas. In addition the company has its own wheel shop for wheel modifications, sells Colaert French axles, Soft-Fill tyre filler and Delcoseal tyre sealant. In total the company holds an inventory worth 4 million Euros.
Recent investments include the addition of new moulds to take aircraft radials. There are also plans to construct a new head office two and a half times the size of the current facility.
Dutch specialist retreader Bandenmarkt has one of the largest and most diverse range of retreads available on the market. Indeed Leen van’t Hof, pictured here with his son
Leendert, who is now the company’s Managing Director, says that many retreaders severely underestimate their capacity. “Many retreaders would do better employing a bit
24 Retreading Business