Rotala Group, has signed a five-year Efftires contract with Michelin for its 700-vehicle fleet
Rotala says that continued confidence in the product and a shared focus on sustainable transport are the reasons behind its decision to sign a new five-year Effitires contract with Michelin Services and Solutions. The deal will cover the company’s 650-strong fleet of full-size buses, as well as 50 minibuses working across its four subsidiary operations: Diamond Bus, Diamond Bus North West, Hallmark Connections and Preston Bus. Michelin has been the company’s exclusive tyre supplier since 2016, and cited its consistently high level of service as a key to securing the new contract.
Simon Dunn, Rotala CEO, said: “We have a long working relationship with Michelin. The product is excellent, the durability of the tyres is second to none – we regard Michelin very much as the premier tyre manufacturer in the market. It’s exactly the type of brand we want to be associated with. The team at Michelin have a superb hands-on approach, their support over the past five years has been invaluable and we are very pleased to be extending our partnership.”
The two companies said their focus on sustainability has also been a key factor in the renewal. As part of the contract, Michelin will supply its own Remix brand of retreaded tyres, many of which are produced in Stoke-on-Trent. The policy also includes regrooving for all tyres of 17.5” and above.
During 2020, Rotala invested £29 million in 163 new low emission buses as part of a significant fleet upgrade programme to help further reduce the environmental impact of its operation. “Michelin continues to show its dedication to sustainable mobility, which is also a fundamental principle for us at Rotala,” added Simon. “We are continuously looking for ways to reduce the carbon emissions of our fleet and the proven fuel-efficiency and mileage qualities of Michelin’s products plays an important part in that.”
Under the new contract, Michelin will supply tyres direct to Rotala, whose own fitters will handle all replacement work in-house. Michelin will also carry out fleet-wide inspections as part of the agreement, ensuring Rotala is getting the most from its tyres in terms of safety, longevity and durability, and maximising uptime and compliance.
Michelin’s X InCity fitments – including the new 275/70 R22.5 X InCity EV Z – will be the predominant tyre supplied under the deal. The tyre was initially designed for electric vehicles but Michelin says that it also provides high levels of efficiency for traditional buses operating on urban and suburban routes. The latest generation Michelin X Multi Z & D tyres will be fitted on some of the smaller single deck buses, while its Agilis CrossClimate tyres will be supplied for the company’s minibus fleet.
