Trelleborg adds tire-wear indicator into solid forklift tires

WAKEFIELD, Mass. — Trelleborg Wheel Systems Americas Inc. is launching a press-on solid tire for materials-handling applications, the PS1000, that features the company’s Pit Stop Line wear indicator for the first time in a solid application. 

Trelleborg said that in recent years it has been examining thousands of customers’ tires to determine take-off trends and found that on average, customers were changing out tires prematurely, wasting about 25% of the tire life.

“Tire management is still an ongoing issue and customers are not maximizing value out of their tires,” Marc Margossian, regional marketing director, Trelleborg Wheel Systems Americas Inc., said.

“Most customers go by the rule of thumb: ‘When the rubber reaches the top of the numbers, it’s time to change them out.’ But this can vary. … There’s a significant cost associated with both tire waste as well as additional service required associated with pulling tires prematurely.”

In 2014, Trelleborg launched its Pit Stop Line tire wear indicator, a visible orange band in the tread that appears as the tread wears down, indicating that the tire has approximately 100 hours of service life remaining. 

The indicator helps ensure the tires aren’t replaced too early, creating waste, or too late, risking safety, he said. 

“The Pit Stop Line for our end-users is designed to reduce spending, increase up-time, increase safety, reduce environmental impact and provide better planning for service,” Mr. Margossian said.

“The PS1000 is an exciting first for Trelleborg and the tire industry. We have integrated our Pit Stop Line innovation into a press-on solid tire for maximum performance, comfort and service life,” Lorenzo Ciferri, vice president of marketing and communications at parent Trelleborg Wheel Systems S.p.A., said. 

“Our studies show that the PS1000 lasts up to 30% more than other tires on the market, which results in a very low cost-of-ownership per hour.” 

The new tire is engineered with specialized compounds and a new design to guarantee uptime, efficiency and safety for operators, while reducing total cost of ownership and environmental impact, Trelleborg said. 

The tire features two compound layers in its internal construction, one to enhance comfort and reduce rolling resistance and heat build-up, while the other ensures long tire life, Trelleborg said.

The PS1000 is available in smooth and traction tread versions. The smooth version offers stability and comfort, as well as improved service life due to a deep tread, cushion compound and concave sidewall shape. 

The traction version offers the same features, but with higher traction for improved performance in wet conditions. 

The tire can be produced in different compounds — multipurpose, non-marking, electrically conductive, ProHD or Protex — for different applications. 

The smooth version is available now; the traction version will be available in the first quarter of 2021.