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INDIAN RUBBER EXPO
Mr Tom Tai of Coltrac with their Steinbichler shearography machine
that the client wants and to create a label for that tyre. BIPAVER, of course, is not the only organisation looking at the issue of how to allow retreads to be homologated to Regulation 117.02. The ETRMA is also looking in depth at the issue. That’s all I’m going to say on the issue of legislation other than to emphasise the importance of quality standards, particularly in developing markets where the quality of retreading can vary widely. Other developing countries have seen the benefits of developing retreading standards in recent years, such as Inmetro in Brazil and Sirim in Malaysia.
Next, I’m going to talk for a while about the effect that technology has had on the retreading industry. There is no doubt that, over the years, improvements in compounding
developments from the leading equipment suppliers in the market.
First though a brief word about the importance of technology to a developing retreading market like India. Technology, of course, will be an important consideration for this market because a move to radial tyres will bring need for retreaders to invest in new machinery and will open up the top level of technology to the retreading sector.
But does state-of-the-art machiner y have much of an effect on developing retread markets? Well, yes , to a degree. There will always be some leaders in the market looking to be at the forefront of technology and the leading equipment suppliers will always be looking to get their equipment into these markets.
introduction of the Sirim standard Malaysia has become an increasingly sophisticated retread market and plants such as this have become the norm rather than the exception. However, although it is important for developing markets to have access to such model plants, the practicalities of markets, which are still ver y price conscious and where education levels on issues such as tyre that most retreaders will initially use equipment, that, although of good quality, are designed to meet the economic realities of that market.
So let us not kid ourselves that all retreaders in developing markets will be operating with the top level of technology. Entry level equipment will still make up the bulk of the market. More important are the education of customers in tyre maintenance and the importance of cost per kilometre, stopping overloading, improving the road
will rise.
maintenance and the benefits of retreading are still relatively low, dictate
One of the things to remember about technological developments in the retreading sector, it’s necessary to remember that it’s a relatively slow moving market. During the Essen exhibition last year Matteuzzi were keen to point out that they had sold 1000 of their popular RAS90DC computerised buffer. This machine was launched over 20 years ago and yet it is still a very popular piece of equipment. Most of the world’s state of the art retreading equipment tends to be launched at either the Essen show in Germany or the Autopromotec show in Bologna, Italy, which take place in alternate years – so here – to give you an idea of the sort of equipment that is currently being launched, is a selection of the equipment that has been on show at these exhibitions over
ShuangShuang’s retread workshop in Tianjin, China
technology and in retreading machinery have made a significant contribution towards the quality of retreaded tyres. Automatic and computerised buffing and building machines as well as the advent of sophisticated inspection equipment such as shearography have helped retreaders back up their claim the retreads can perform as well as new tyres. Other developments have helped retreaders become more cost- effective at a time when they are under pressure from rising raw material prices and the influx of cheap new radials from the Far East. Yet others developments have made retreading more environmentally friendly or made working in a retread shop more pleasant for operatives. In a moment I’ll take a look at some of the most recent
The image above is from a retreader called ShuangShuang in Tianjin in China, who have partnered with the Singapore/Malaysian equipment supplier, Newera. Amongst other equipment, the plant includes a Steinbichler Intact shearography machine and a Matteuzzi RAS 90 DC buffer. In China the Ministr y of Industr y has issued a policy document aimed to increase radicalisation in the truck sector to 90per cent by 2015.
The next image is from a retreader called Coltrac in Malaysia, a Goodway retreader who has recently increased its capacity to 150,000 tyres per annum. Coltrac also have a Steinbichler Intact 1200-2 shearography machine, the latest AZ CTC-SB VII extruder and two NDT Spectra nailhole detectors. Since the
infrastructure, training the operatives in retread plants and raising the overall standard of retreading. Once these are achieved then the level of technology used in the market
the past couple of years.
TRM’s Black Dragon extruder/builder is pictured here in operation at the German car tyre retreader Reifen Hinghaus. The machine, which processes
The TRM Black Dragon extruder/builder in action at Reifen Hinghaus
26 Retreading Business