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NEWS EXTRA
Vipal Closes Partnership Deal with Portuguese Haulier
tyres on its RapidKL buses in a research project.
Prasarana chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam said the move emphasised the importance the company placed on green technology.
“These retreaded tyres are not just high in quality but they are also environmentally-friendly because they are produced with green technology.
“The tyres are of the same level of quality as regular new tyres, if not better, and they are also cheaper and more fuel efficient,” he said at Rapid KL Bus Complex in Cheras Selatan today.
Ismail said Prasarana could decide to use Ekoprena tyres on all its buses after the project ended in 2017.
RapidBus Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Zulkifli Mohd
tyres were developed some years ago and were first tested commercially in Japan in 2007.
“Research in Ekoprena rubber for tyres has long been conducted by MRB and the Tun Razak Research Centre in the United Kingdom.
“Our research found that the use of Ekoprena in the tyre tread compound resulted in a low rolling resistance and a high wet grip and saved energy while increasing safety,” he said.
Wira said the rubber tyres would only be sold and marketed commercially after the completion of the RapidKL project in 2017.
“We have the tests done primarily in Europe and now we would like to get accurate technical data from the tests on RapidKL buses here.
"The tyres will be fitted onto the
Vipal is continuing to invest in the expansion of the retreading market in Europe. This time, the company has closed an important partnership deal with carrier TransJHL Transportes e
Logística, based in the city of Mangualde. This will allow Vipal to secure logistics gains for its products in Portugal and Spain, and as a consequence, the customers in the area will benefit from this partnership due to faster service.
TransJHL is a Portuguese logistics company founded in 2007, which specialises in
national and international road transportation. Besides offering a differentiated service, some of the company’s trucks will display Vipal Rubber’s visual identity as part of the partnership. “We think it’s very important to invest in the relationship with customers in this area. This will allow us to strengthen our presence on the Iberian Peninsula,” commented Alessandro Campos, Manager of Vipal Europe.
JHL, which retreads all of its fleet’s tyres using Vipal products, is a customer of retreader RSM Recauchutagem. Located in the city of Guimarães, RSM played an important role in establishing this partnership. The company is one of Vipal’s biggest customers in the area – it is a collaboration that started before the establishment of Vipal Europe’s branch in 2006.
Malaysia to Commercialise eco-NR Tyres
The Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) plans to commercialise its eco-friendly Ekoprena retread.
MRB chairman Datuk Ahmad Hamzah said the tyre, which uses epoxidised natural rubber, features low rolling resistance that enhances fuel efficiency and improved wet grip for safety. The industry body and Malaysia’s public transport
operator Prasarana Malaysia Bhd have signed a memorandum of understanding to further research the Ekoprena retread tyres.
In a step towards that commercialisation the coach operator Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) to use Ekoprena
(From left) MRB chairman Datuk Wira Ahmad Hamzah, Prasarana managing director Datuk Azmi Abdul Aziz and Prasarana chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam inspect the Ekoprena rear tyre fitted to a bus at the RapidKL bus complex in Cheras Selatan – The Malaysian Insider pic by Raymund Wong, August 15, 2015.
Yusoff said the Ekoprena tyre project had three phases. “Ekoprena tyres will be used on the buses of six regional routes within Klang Valley. In the first phase, we will use these tyres on 10 buses, the second, on 30 buses, and the final phase, on 80 buses,” he said.
The RM1.7 million research project is funded by the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministr y through the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu). Eight hundred Ekoprena tyres will be used in the project. MRB chairman Datuk Wira Ahmad Hamzah said Ekoprena
buses’ back wheels as they take most of the bus and passengers’ weight. This will accurately demonstrate the durability of the tyres,” he said.
Wira said with the rise in demand for rubber, MRB would gradually increase the export capacity of Ekoprena rubber to meet Malaysia’s rubber exportation target of 300,000 tonnes a year by 2020.
Source: Bernama