RETREADING

Retreading makes economic sense, since it offers safe and dependable performance, at a far lower cost (as compared to new tyres). When a tyre wears out, only 25% of the tyre is worn out. The remaining 75% of the tyre, which is the casing, is still intact. The casing gives the tyre its shape and strength, and is the major contributor to cost.

When properly retreaded, tyres can be driven at the same speed and condition as new tyres, with no loss in safety or comfort. It has been proved that retreaded tyres are safe.

There are two methods of retreading tyres - the conventional mould cure retreading and precured retreading. The conventional method is more popular in India. However it has its own disadvantages: The process distorts the tyres and creates excessive imbalance. This can affect driving comfort and is hard on vehicle parts. In precured retreading, the tyre is retreaded in the factory under very high pressure and by heating from both sides, to produce a dense and uniformly cured product, giving more mileage.

Major players in the retreading industry include Elgi, Indag, MRF, Sundaram Industries, Annamalai Tyre retreading Corporation and Staines Tyres. These companies, among themselves, control 60% of the market share in the retreading business and the rest is with the unorganised sector. Most of the major players have technological collaborations with overseas players. So, process-wise, Indian standards are comparable to that of international players. The industry has been growing at a rate of 15% annually.

While it takes about 7 gallons of crude oil to manufacture one new passenger tyre, a retreaded tyre requires only 2.5 gallons. The savings in truck tyre retreading is even greater. Each year, we save thousands of gallons of crude oil by buying retreaded tyres. In today's oil-scarce world, this saving is extremely important. You can't get rid of tyres unless you burn them, which causes pollution. Thus it makes a lot of sense to retread, rather than to add more tyres to the already overflowing land-fills.

• Cars - 65%

• LCV - 100%

• Trucks - 99.9%

• Airlines - 100%

• Earthmovers - 100%

Except for airline tyres, all of the above categories are retreaded in India. Our Airlines send their tyres abroad to be retreaded. We do not have any airline tyre retreaders, as it is not feasible. There is not so much demand to justify a dedicated retreading plant for airlines alone. World over there are only two companies, which do airline tyres retreading.

Time, load-factor and road-factor are the three major reasons.

Depends on the strength of the casing, usage pattern, wear and tear etc. Tourist Cars - probably 3 times. Trucks can be retreaded upto 6 times. Basically, the tyre can be retreaded again and again, as long as the casing is in good shape.

Most big players in the industry are based in the South. Sundaram Industries were pioneers in the market. They started the retreading business early and therefore the awareness level is very high in South India. Consequently, there is a ready market for retreading here. But in the North, we have still got to create awareness.

A world without retreads will be a very expensive world. If all of us depend on new tyres, their prices will go through the roof. We would have to import additional quantities of oil, as it takes 22 gallons of oil to manufacture one new truck tyre, and most of the oil is found in the casing, which is reused in the retreading process. So, it takes only 7 gallons of oil to produce a retreaded truck tyre. Groceries would cost more, as most delivery trucks use retreads. Construction costs would shoot up, as much of our construction work require earth moving vehicles, which run on retreaded tyres. Airline tickets will cost more, as most airlines also use retreaded tyres. There will be a huge load of scrap tyre pile, which cannot be destroyed unless burnt, which will cause pollution.

So, retreading offers us an environment friendly, cost effective solution.

Tyres are one of the main expense components in a vehicle. Maintenance is of utmost importance particularly in large fleet businesses like tourist cabs and the transport business. Proper maintenance of tyres can contribute to savings in operating cost. Here are a few tips on tyre maintenance :

1.Periodically check and maintain inflation pressures as recommended by the     tyre manufacturer.

2.Inspect the tyres and remove foreign objects like stones, etc

3.Rotate your tyres as recommended by the tyre manufacturer.

4.Whenever you experience abnormal wear, have the wheel alignment and     suspension checked by your qualified mechanic.

5.Tyres, whether new or retreaded, must always be balanced before filment.

6.Remove the tyre for retreading when there is atleast 1.5 mm of tread depth left    on your tyre.

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