The Powder-Trans Group has signed a new multi-year agreement with Michelin for environmentally optimised tyres for its fleet. In addition to the comprehensive monitoring and other services already included in the previous agreement, the new contract introduces Michelin’s fully automated tyre inspection system with ground-embedded sensors for heavy vehicles. The facility at the Powder-Trans terminal in Lieto is the first of its kind to be installed in the Nordic countries.
Fredrik Blomqvist from Powder-Trans, Joni Isorinne from Michelin, Juha-Pekka Palin from Michelin, and Tero Viitanen from Powder-Trans have finalized an agreement that makes transports safer while also reducing environmental impact.
Powder-Trans has eight years’ experience with Michelin’s services, which provide customers with an efficient and convenient all-inclusive package that also reduces tyre wear and environmental impact.
As before, the new agreement covers all necessary tyre replacements, monitoring, reporting, and, above all, the optimisation of use and wear. The collaboration also includes continuous monitoring of raw material selection and opportunities to further optimise tyre lifespan. Together, Powder-Trans and Michelin evaluate various solutions aimed at improving fuel efficiency, transport capacity and tyre durability. For Michelin, the continued partnership also provides valuable data on Nordic roads and weather conditions, which are in turn used for research and product development towards future green mobility solutions. The collaboration is important for Powder-Trans as it takes into account multiple environmental and road safety aspects, everything from raw materials and manufacturing to tyre recycling.
The big news in the new agreement is Michelin’s fully automated tyre inspection system for heavy vehicles that employs ground-embedded sensors. The first such system in the Nordic countries has now been installed at the Powder-Trans terminal in Lieto. When visiting the terminal, vehicles can simply drive over the sensors to obtain precise data on the wear of all tyres. The data is automatically uploaded to databases and systems that provide immediate information on necessary maintenance. The system complements manual inspections with measuring instruments, which will continue under the new agreement. Powder-Trans will also gain access to a similar measuring point in Sweden, when a new facility is installed in Helsingborg.
The new system enables Powder-Trans to optimise tyre use, reducing annual tyre failures by as much as 65%. Moreover, the precise monitoring allows each tyre to be safely used for longer – in practice, allowing an additional 1.5 mm of tread depth – resulting in an annual reduction of 106 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Thanks to the automatic tyre pressure monitoring, a further 111 tonnes of CO2 emissions can be avoided each year. Fuel savings are estimated at around 1%.
“This new agreement increases productivity, delivers financial savings and environmental benefits, and enhances road safety,” Powder-Trans CEO Fredrik Blomqvist summarises the benefits of the new agreement.
Quick Scan gives actual information of each tire of the vehicle.
