Switching the tyres on its loading and hauling fleet to Michelin's premium tyres has boosted the operation of Hills Quarry Products
No matter how much money is invested in new loading and hauling equipment in quarries, if the tyres are not up to the terrain then the full advantages will not be delivered. One UK-based quarry group that made the decision to upgrade the tyres used by its whole fleet has been reaping the benefits with fewer tyre related breakdowns.
Hills operates five quarries in Wiltshire with a combined production of more than 1million tonnes per year. "Our quarries extract coarse sand, gravel and soft sand with intermingled limestone, so we need tyres that offer good levels of grip for digging operations but that also offer a casing design to resist damage," said Hills production manager Andrew Liddle.
"We were impressed with the performance of the Michelin tyres early in the trial.
Drivers gave us positive feedback with reports that they were benefiting from better traction on sand and other loose surfaces."
According to Michelin, the wide profiles of the XHA and XADN offer good flotation on light sand, while the reinforced sidewalls are capable of withstanding the tough environments.
"We have tried other tyre brands but found they wore out quickly and were prone to punctures," said Liddle. "In comparison, the XHA and XADN ranges offer us long-term benefits that have seen a huge increase in the number of hours between tyre changes and less tyre damage, which is crucial to the ongoing performance of our business."
