Panalpina World Transport has adopted a new tyre policy for its UK-based road fleet, which operates as far afield as mainland Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Cyprus and Africa.

It sees ATS Euromaster appointed to supply, service and maintain Michelin tyres fitted across the company’s 40 trucks and 80 trailers, which are split between depots in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth. The move is aimed at further increasing vehicle reliability and reducing instances of unexpected tyre-related downtime.

Brian Pirie, Panalpina World Transport’s area head of overland transport operations oil & gas northwest Europe, who is based in Aberdeen, said: “Reliability runs through the heart of everything we do and our tyre policy needs to reflect this; it’s why we’ve always fitted predominantly Michelin tyres.

“By appointing ATS Euromaster we’re looking to combine the benefits of a one-stop-shop supplier offering a fully-managed tyre service, complete with Europe-wide roadside support via a single point of contact. We are also targeting increased brand fitment adherence,” he adds.

The agreement will see ATS Euromaster technicians proactively working to ensure all Michelin tyres in the fleet follow the complete ‘four lives’ process; with tyres being regrooved, Remixed and then regrooved again to deliver maximum longevity.

This will be backed up by monthly tyre safety inspections performed by the local ATS Euromaster centre, each designed to maximise safety and reduce the risk of tyre related breakdowns. In addition to regrooving, technicians will be twinning and turning tyres on the rim, plus monitoring tread wear patterns to look for signs of faulty wheel alignment or incorrectly inflated tyres.