ecopneus highlight quality excellence tyres · 2010-10-27 · quality excellence for our customers...

Quality excellence for our customerspage 12

highlight

product

Super Single: a new size for mega-trailerspage 18

EcopnEus

Dealing with End-of-Life Tyres

page 16

The magazine for transport professionals

No. 5JUNE 2010European quarterlyof the Pirelli Group

Paolo Battistini, with the compa-ny for 23 years, 17 of which within Pirelli’s industrial vehicles division in Settimo Torinese and 2 years spent in Pirelli’s facilities in Egypt. What does quality mean for the customer?Paolo Battistini —For customers, the concept of quality goes well beyond the mere production of a quality tyre, which is necessary, but not enough on its own. Excellence in quality comes from a combination of intrinsic quality and perceived quality. Intrinsic quality is related to meeting product specifica-tions and process standards in order to ensure tyre integrity, whereas perceived quality derives from the initial contact the customer has with the product and the first impression they have. A perfect tyre from the point of view of its “aesthet-ics” certainly results in greater perceived quality.

How has customer demand changed over time?P.B. —Expectations of quality are much higher than in the past. Customers are demanding increasingly high perfor-mance levels at ever lower costs. In ad-dition, in recent years, awareness of aspects related to comfort has grown significantly, which, in the case of truck

tyres, essentially means lower vibration and, therefore, improved driving condi-tions. For us, this translates into a need to increase our capacity to control uni-formity and to significantly reduce our selection standards in line with the best competitors. Tyre aesthetics is another aspect that we have been focusing on in recent years. As in the automotive segment, the look of the tyre has always been an important factor, and sensitivity to aesthetics has been growing in the truck segment as well. For example, excess rubber (radial and circumferential seams), excessive air vents, and minor imperfections in the sidewall lettering are aspects that cus-tomers no longer accept, even if they are

aware that they don’t compromise tyre integrity and performance.Therefore, we are working on eliminat-ing seams and air vents in the treads, and through more selective visual checks, we have significantly reduced the number of tyres that go to market with aestheti-cal defects..But if your selection standards are more strict, doesn’t that increase the number of rejected tyres?P.B. —If only the selection standards had changed, that would of course increase both the quality of the tyres sold as well as waste. And this would not be sustain-able either in terms of business (with an increase in costs) or the environment (with an increase in waste materials). This is why, as standards change, we have also worked to improve the en-tire production process, so as to reduce waste while ensuring constant improve-ment in product quality.

In order to instil a process of constant improvement within a production plant, is any special involvement of the workers required?P.B. —It’s essential! The human factor within a production process is the key to achieving constant improvement. The idea that the first “customer” to sat-isfy is the co-worker working on the next phase in the production process ensures that the quality of the outgoing product will meet the expectations of the marketplace.

Committed to constant product improvement

Interview with Paolo Battistini,Quality Director for Pirelli Truck

Published by Pirelli & C. S.p.A. Istitutional and Cultural Affairs

Managing DirectorAntonio Calabrò

Editorial CoordinatorAlessia Magistroni

EditingMaura Corinaldesi

[email protected]

Editorial OfficeViale Piero e Alberto Pirelli, 25 Milano, Italia

English Text Editing Studio Associato Bozzola

GraphicsLeftloft — www.leftloft.com

PrinterCastelli Bolis Poligrafiche S.p.a.

European quarterlyof the Pirelli Group

Registered at the Court of Milan n. 210 of 29.04.2009

www.pirelli.com

No. 5 — June 2010

3No. 5 JUNE 2010

Stuttgart

Koln

Frankfurt

Saarbrücken

Berlin

DresdenErfurt

Bremen

Magdeburg

Düsseldorf

Hamburg

Munich

Hannover

truck spEaks with rEadErs

FAQ21PaGE

tEchnical spEciFications

New structure for the ST:01 Super Single

PaGE

20

EcopnEus

Dealing with End-of-Life Tyres

PaGE

16

highlight

Sustainable mobility at Hannover Messe 2010 8

PaGE

theCal1971

PaGE

22highlight

Quality excellence for customer satisfaction12

PaGE

pirElli Eco tEchnology

To combat pollution Pneumobil backs closed filters in Germany 10

PaGE

Contents

In Holland with: We normally don’t much like travel writers who try to convince us that everything happens by chance, but without that brochure we picked up by chance at the Den Bosch tourist office, well, we would never

have discovered what we are about to describe to you now. And that would have been a real shame. But first, we should explain how we ended up in ’s-Hertogenbosch – or Den Bosch as it is colloquially known – in the central Netherlands. We were looking for traces of the city’s most famous resident, the painter Hieronymus Bosch, that enigmatic genius of 15th-century Flanders. We looked, but we didn’t find much, other than a statue in the square and a couple of wonderful museums, but these had next to nothing of Bosch’s original works. We did, however, find quite a bit more, so much so that we stayed a full day. We found canals for boat trips and a gothic cathedral every bit as impressive as those found in France. Then there was the unforgettable experience of coffee with a Bossche bol, a ball of whipped cream glazed with melted chocolate.

As most do, after Den Bosch, we had planned to go to Amsterdam, were it not for the Cool Breaks brochure that recommended we see Nijmegen. Being in Holland, nothing can be too far away, so we stop by. The centre of town was lively; the banks of the Waal river, dotted with shops, and the Valkhof – the “park of falcons” where Charlemagne built his residence – was enchanting. And then, nearby, we discovered two museums: one all about bicycles, which they say is the only one of its kind in the Netherlands (is that possible?), and the other dedi-cated to art and archaeology, including marvellous Roman artefacts.We take a break and have a beer at the Commanderie van St. Jan, which was once an ancient hospital for the Knights of St. John and is now a brewery of pale ale, followed by a second pint at De Blauwe Hand (“the Blue Hand”), a friendly old pub with a motto displayed above the bar that says it all: “An ice-cold tankard of good ale brings warmth, joy and sweet pleasure.” And by the way, what does Cool Breaks have to say? That we should go to Arnhem? It’s a twelve-min-ute train ride, not even time to think, and we’ll be hiring bikes in the

greenest, most trendy, most happening city in all of the Netherlands. At least that’s what the brochure says. And then a bike ride through the streets of town to any one of the great many museums to soak it all in. Head and shoulders above the rest were the museum of mod-ern art and the open-air museum of Dutch culture, complete with volunteers in traditional dress. Arnhem, Fashion City, featuring one of Europe’s most important fashion academies. And our bike ride ends, inevitably, with a pint overlooking the Rhine.At this point, Cool Breaks says that we should cross the border. Germa-ny is, in fact, just a stone’s throw away, and before we can say “I wonder if German towns are as nice as these”, we’ve already crossed the bor-der (not that we actually saw it). Amsterdam will have to wait.

product

Super Single: a new size for mega-trailers

PaGE

18a succEss story

Excellence in lead timefor De Rooy Transport 6

PaGE

4 The magazine for transport professionals 5No. 5 JUNE 2010

Founded in 1923 and head-quartered to this day in Son (the Netherlands), De Rooy Transport and Logistics is a well-known name in

Holland, both for its work in the trans-port industry and for the company’s in-volvement in the Dakar rally, which is one of the family’s great passions.Led by Gerald de Rooy, son of the com-pany’s owner and founder, the com-pany has offices throughout Europe, but just one objective: to achieve maxi-mum customer satisfaction by respect-ing the established lead times.With branches and agencies in Belgium, France, Spain, Italy and the U.K., De Rooy is the transport company of choice for companies such as Volvo Cars & Trucks, DAF Trucks, General Motors and Iveco.We spoke with Jan de Rooy, the owner of the company, who gave us an over-view of the company’s past, future and upcoming projects.

What is the key to success that sets De Rooy apart from the other trans-port companies in Europe?Jan de Rooy —Today, as in the past, our firm has always had the ability to de-sign and produce our own vehicles. This has kept us highly flexible and has en-abled us to adapt quickly to the various demands of customers and of govern-ments.The keys to our success are transport quality and lead times. In 2008, a rath-er challenging year, respecting the lead times agreed upon with the customer was the key to continuity in the sales per-formance De Rooy was able to achieve.

Why do high-profile clients like Volvo and DAF turn to De Rooy?J.dR. —The main reason is, of course, economies of scale. Our fleet of some 350 vehicles (trucks, semi-trailers, truck trailer units with hydraulic platforms, tilt vehicle transport units) and workforce of 650 employees provide us with the ut-most flexibility in providing all the solu-tions our customers need.In addition to this versatility, our de-velopment division is constantly test-ing new “inventions” that enable us to provide our customers with innovative transport solutions over longer routes and with heavier loads.The latest instrumentation and equip-ment installed on our vehicles, such as EDI and GPRS, enable us to stay in con-stant contact with our customers and with our vehicles and to provide just-in-time information. In addition to this, we have some of the most highly qualified, expert drivers.As most of our drivers are from Poland, we have a training centre in Poland that provides our drivers with intensive train-

ing programmes in order to learn how to handle high-value goods and both wide and heavy loads, as well as generally how to achieve the level of quality that has made De Rooy famous. The results of this commitment to training can be seen in the fact that our percentage of damaged goods is just 0.5%.

The Dakar rally have given you a great deal of notoriety, but how do you reconcile the Dakar with your day-to-day activities?J.dR. —The Dakar, which we have been participating in since 1986, is a very chal-lenging rally for both vehicles and crew. In order to compete with the best, we have always taken special care of the setup of our trucks, which were initially equipped with DAF engines, but have

now been using Iveco engines for the last couple of years. As for our transport busi-ness, we prefer to design and develop as many components as possible in house. With our work environment and dedi-cated staff, we are able to prepare our vehicles to compete at the highest levels. The parallel between the Dakar and our day-to-day business is that every part of the organisation is asked to always give their best. If you want to win, you can’t leave anything to chance, especially in situations such as the Dakar.

Your vehicles are a precious asset for you and your business, which is why you are constantly adopting new techniques and new materials in the quest for a better, more com-plete product. How does Pirelli fit into this goal?J.dR. —For many years, we had a mileage contract, but we then decided to mount tyres ourselves. This move was made, in part, in consideration both of the decline in transport business and of the avail-ability of qualified personnel. Because of Pirelli, we are now able to count on a maintenance and support partnership, a system of online registration, and a reli-able tyre partner.As I have said, lead times are very impor-tant to the company’s overall success, and tyres, like engines, can be a cause of extensive periods of downtime. This is why we need tyres of the highest quality.With Pirelli, we found the ideal partner, one that both develops products with a view to achieving the greatest mileage with lower rolling resistance and is fo-cused on respecting the environment. Pirelli tyres also comply with the highest standards set by European legislation.

Excellence in lead timefor De Rooy Transport Interview with Jan de Rooy, owner and CEO of the Dutch firm. The choice of tyres. A passion for the Dakar by Patrick Diepenhorst

a succEss story

A training centre

for delivery quality

Gerald e Jan de RooyThe company’s

managing director

and owner,

respectively, share

a passion for the

Dakar.


For the 2010 edition, Hannover Messe, one of the world’s largest, most important industrial trade fairs, grouped together

into a single event nine specialist trade shows for as many industry seg-ments: Industrial Automation, Energy, Power Plant Technology, MobiliTec, Digital Factory, Industrial Supply, CoilTechnica, MicroNanoTec, and Research & Technology.With its 240,000 sq.m of exhibition space, this year’s edition (held from 19-23 April), entitled Efficiency, Innova-tion, Sustainability, attracted more than 4,800 exhibitors from 64 nations, tak-ing the event to the record numbers achieved prior to the 2008 crisis.

As a Hannover Messe partner nation, Italy had its own pavilion that deliv-ered a great visual impact in line with the theme of renewable energy and de-signed to promote Italian environmen-tal quality. Sustainable mobility is a hot topic of late, both from a technical/engineering point of view and in terms of society and the environment, and is a concept that underscored Italy’s tech-

Test sul bagnatoProva di guida in corsopresso la pista di Vizzola

Record numbers for the 2010 edition. Despite cancelled flights due to the Iceland volcano, over 4,800 exhibitors from 64 nations participated in the trade fairby Luca Pisciotta

highlight

Sustainable mobility at Hannover Messe 2010

nological capabilities in producing low-emission transport systems.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italy’s former Minister for Economic Development, Claudio Scajola, official-ly opened the event on 19 April at the stand designed by the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE), the institute that also designed the entire Italy Pa-vilion in order to present Italy’s techno-logical excellence in power generation and distribution, sustainable mobility and production and automation sys-tems. This included exhibits of proto-types, models and other cutting-edge technology.A number of original works by De Chiri-co and Marco Lodola (who also did the logo for the stand) provided the back-drop for the display of structures, pro-totypes, models and films related to the issue of “Sustainable Mobility”, as well as of new Italian technology in the field of transport vehicles – examples of in-novation in terms of efficiency, energy performance, and noise reduction.The extensive presence of Pirelli prod-ucts confirmed the company’s ap-proach to environmental sustainabil-ity, as also seen in the Group’s business plan that was presented at the start of last year. The declared objective for 2009-2011 is to increase the “green” component of the Group’s earnings

from the roughly 20% in 2008 to 40% by the end of 2011.

Pirelli welcomed the invitation to participate in the stand of the ICE as an opportunity to pres-ent the concept of “green performance” to the pub-lic, a concept that com-prises a set of tech-nologies, compounds and other solutions aimed at improving the performance of the Group’s products while reducing their environmental im-pact. Visitors to the Italy Pavilion were able to ad-mire the Cinturato P7 car tyre, the Cyber™Tyre Lean

tyre-pressure monitoring (TPM) sensor, and the new Feelpure™ A/R particulate filter for heavy vehicles.For the transport industry, in turn, a great deal of appreciation was shown for the Regional Series:01 tyre. Devel-oped with new profiles, structures and materials, the FR:01 reduces environ-mental impact and was a true ambas-sador to sustainable mobility.Indeed, Pirelli’s new Series 01 industri-al tyres are at the pinnacle of quality in the European market in terms of long tyre life, low rolling resistance and con-sequent fuel savings, excellent retread-ability and respect for the environ-ment thanks to both low noise levels and the use of highly aromatic oil-free (HAOF) materials.Despite the cancellation of flights in Europe for 3 of the 5 days of the event due to the volcanic eruption in Ice-land, the vast public attending the event once again confirmed the grow-ing interest of both consumers and businesses in the issues covered at Hannover Messe 2010.

Renewed stimulus

for the economy in

the name of efficiency,

innovation and

technology

Regional Series 01,

a true ambassador to

sustainable mobility

Particulate filterOn display, solutions to reduce the

environmental impact of heavy

transport

New Regional The new Series 01 is at the

pinnacle of European quality


Stuttgart

Koln

Frankfurt

Saarbrücken

Berlin

DresdenErfurt

Bremen

Magdeburg

Düsseldorf

Hamburg

Munich

Hannover

Germany remains one of the only markets in which “open” filters are still allowed, which creates the illusion of using a device that controls emission when, it actual fact, the filter does not meet the requirements of low-emis-sion zones and fails to comply with environmental standards.Michael Schwoebel, Managing Director of Pneumobil, speak-ing about the competitive-ness of Pirelli’s Feelpure DPF system for the German mar-ket, clearly underscored the main strengths of this tech-nology, noting that it is a range of filters with a general oper-ating licence for some 1,000 different cars, light and heavy commercial vehicles, and bus-ses. Another 400 vehicles are to be added in the near future. Furthermore, as the sole pro-vider of a closed-system filter, the strength of Pirelli Eco Technology Milan is tied, in particular, to the bus and camper segments, and none of the company’s competitors currently pos-sess a system with a homologated addi-tive. The additive is essential in reduc-ing NO2 levels (an important aspect for large cities as of 1 January 2010).

These are a few of the strengths of the Pirelli Feelpure DPF system: - it is a closed filter for maximum

efficiency - feelpure is homologated throughout

Europe - feelpure can be used with all types of

fuel - silicon carbide ensures maximum

thermal and mechanical durability

- it uses an active regeneration (A/R) system for vehicles with low emission temperatures, such as waste collection vehicles used in stop-and-go conditions.

This is good news for the Pirelli Group as a whole, as the organisation’s tyre and filter strategy appears to be meet-ing the needs of both segments. Filters require an extensive, specialised net-work that covers the entire territory re-liably, while tyres need complementa-

ry products in order to meet the needs of the customer. And in this strategy, Pirelli has shown that the group is tak-ing a long-term view. Underscoring the efficacy of this synergistic partnership, the CEO of Pneumobil GmbH, Hans Ulrich Röske, has said that the results are coming in and that Pneumobil is, thanks to Feelpure, acquiring new cus-tomers that had previously been buy-ing tyres from other vendors.

The Feelpure DPF

reduces particulate

emissions by more

than 90%

Environmental Zones

Planned Group 1:

No access to

vehicles in the Euro 1

emissions group

Group 2:

No access to vehicles

in the Euro 1 & 2

emissions groups

Group 3:

No access to vehicles

in the Euro 1, 2 & 3

emissions groups

Pneumobil, Pirelli Eco Tech-nology Milan and Pirelli Tyre Germany came to-gether on 29 March 2010 at Pneumobil in Darm-

stadt (Frankfurt) in order to send a clear message to the German market: Pirelli is stronger than ever.The new range of particulate filters cur-rently being distributed and installed by the Pneumobil network for the German and Austrian markets com-

pletes and enhances Pirelli’s offering for the automotive and aftermarket segments. Pneumobil has said they are enthusiastic about this new challenge and have invited leading German mag-azines to experience this new winning strategy. And the press has confirmed the expected level of success.Pirelli is approaching this challenge in one of the most advanced markets in the area of emission control tech-nologies. The number of low-emission

zones in Germany is rising, as they are being established in large cities and along the most important roadway arteries. This is resulting in the need to adapt old vehicles in the Euro 1-3 classes to bring them up to the Euro 4 levels required for low-emission zones, which is creating a flourishing market for diesel particulate filters (DPFs), a technology that has become increas-ingly advanced and more competitive over the last five years. Nonetheless,

To combat pollution Pneumobil backs closed filters in GermanyThe benefits: maximum efficiency, European homologation, usable for all types of fuel and equipped with an A/R systemby Chiara Medoro

pirElli Eco tEchnology

Tyres and filters Pneumobil distributes and installs the

new range of particulate filters, thereby

completing the Pirelli offering


The economic crisis of re-cent years has triggered profound changes with-in the marketplace and, in certain cases, put pres-

sures on trends that were already un-der way. For example, focus on the customer is essential in order to be suc-cessful in a difficult, highly competitive marketplace, one in which product ex-cellence is key to winning the global competition.At the same time, the needs of the cus-tomer are becoming increasingly chal-lenging to meet.In this issue of Truck Magazine, we will look into how a focus on the customer is actually implemented within Pire-lli Tyre’s quality control unit. First, we must make a distinction between in-

trinsic quality and perceived quality, which, together, give us what could be called optimal quality.

Intrinsic quality is tied to meeting the specifications set by the Research & Development (R&D) unit during the de-sign phase. Having these specifications respected and implemented in pro-duction is then the specific responsibil-ity of the Quality Control unit, which, by establishing standards and proce-dures, promoting employee training and conducting systematic audits, seeks to ensure the tyre’s performance and integrity, i.e. its intrinsic quality. Ab-solute intrinsic quality of a product is

key to being competitive even in the se-verest of markets or applications.Perceived quality, on the other hand, arises as part of the customer’s first contact with the tyre and is heavily in-fluenced by purely aesthetic factors. A tyre with an innovative tread pattern and an attractive sidewall (i.e. without excess rubber or air vents) is seen as being of higher quality.One of the first objectives of a quality engineer is to ensure that the specifica-tions defined by R&D are met, while al-so providing the customer with an op-timal product aesthetically speaking as well. In short, quality includes a highly objective component, based on meet-ing the technical expectations, and al-so a purely subjective component, de-riving from the initial visual impact that the product has on the customer.Paolo Battistini, head of quality for Pirelli Truck, confirms that customers have become increasingly demand-

ing in recent years, requiring higher and higher levels of performance at in-creasingly lower prices.“In order to meet the needs of the mar-ketplace, we are focusing increasingly on the idea of comfort as one of the key aspects of a tyre’s performance. Com-fort essentially means two things: low-er vibration and less noise when driv-ing,” Battistini told us.If we ignore road conditions and the ve-hicle’s mechanical setup, the variables that determine tyre vibration are im-perfections in uniformity and balance.Non-uniformity produces changes in radial and lateral forces, which transfer to the vehicle in the form of vibration, thereby resulting in reduced drivability, vehicle instability, and irregular tread wear. Dynamic unbalance, on the other hand, is a combination of static unbal-ance and couple unbalance generated by pairing of two slightly imperfect

highlight

Quality excellence for customer satisfactionPaolo Battistini, head of quality for Pirelli Truck, talks to us about the efforts under way to satisfy an increasingly demanding marketby Maura Corinaldesi

Quality includes

a highly objective

component as well

as a purely

subjective one

The importance of comfort Machine that checks the balance

of truck tyres


Balance control

Interview with Flavio Colli, head of truck quality at Pirelli’s industrial site in Settimo Torinese

What does it mean when a tyre is “balanced”?A tyre is balanced when its mass, i.e. the elements it is made of, are well distributed. This minimises imperfections in “static balance” and “dynamic balance”, which can reduce vehicle comfort.

What’s the difference between “static balance” and “dynamic balance”?Essentially, problems in “static balance” result in eccentric tyre movement and give

the sensation that it’s not rolling uniformly.Problems with “dynamic balance” can result in wobbling, with significant levels of vibration being transferred to the vehicle.For over a year now, we have been controlling the balance of all our front tyres using a machine that allows us to keep unbalanced tyres from reaching the market.

How does the machine work?Practically speaking, once the machine is calibrated, it calculates how well the tyre is balanced as it rotates. The degree of unbalance is measured in grams. If this value surpasses a certain threshold, the tyre is rejected. The machine also tells us

where the anomaly is located, which helps us to understand how to improve the production process.

What are your goals now?The goal is to get more than 98% of our tyres to within the selection standards by significantly reducing unbalance. Since last year, we have been working hard on the entire production process, starting with the cutting of the tread through to modifying the layout of the seams in packaging. This has enabled us to improve a great deal, but we’re still not satisfied. If we were, there wouldn’t be constant improvement.

Product aesthetics The technology and

innovation of the new

Regional tyre has been

extended to other

product lines

parts (tyre and rim), which can result in unsymmetrical weight distribution.

In order to improve tyre uniformity, a great deal of work has been done to continue fine-tuning processes and to revise selection standards for the end product.In recent years, balance has also be-come an important parameter. Even though it is something that can be cor-rected by the tyre dealer, Pirelli is in-vesting in machinery designed to con-trol balance right from the production process. Today, there are two systems in place in the main production facili-ties that account for most of the de-mand for the European market, i.e. the industrial site at Settimo Torinese in Italy and Izmit in Turkey.“As customers’ needs increase, the quality they expect also increases. In response to this, Pirelli has revised its selection standards to make them increasingly strict. By selection stan-dards, we mean the standards relat-

ed to the controls that are required throughout the production process and regarding the finished product. The tightening of these standards and the lowering of quality control toler-ances ensure that the products we put on the market are of higher quality.” But tightening quality standards without taking steps to continue improving the

entire production process would re-sult in an increase in production costs.

This is because all semi-finished and finished tyres that fail to pass quality controls go to increasing waste, which represents an increase in costs.

“Pirelli has begun a series of initiatives aimed at ensuring improvements in both the performance and the integ-rity of the product. A perfect example of a 360° improvement is our focus on waste. Preventing waste requires a greater focus on the production pro-cess and, consequently, greater as-surances that the product is carefully manufactured in accordance with the design specifications.“But an approach to production that seeks constant improvement also re-quires a significant change in mental-ity for all workers involved. Indeed, an awareness within the company that your colleague at the next production process is your in-house customer is essential. This is the real challenge in the approach to constant improve-ment, in that it tends to alter the way people work. By maintaining this in-house customer/provider rela-

tionship, we are able to manufacture a product that meets the needs of the end user. Therefore, teamwork within the production plant is essential.“It is crucial that each individual feels involved in the process. Team build-ing is key to quality. Of course, by this we don’t just mean teamwork among those working with the machines. In-volvement at all levels of the organisa-tion is essential.”One of the tools that ensures the right approach is taken to achieving a team’s goals the PDCA cycle (i.e. Plan, Do, Check, Act – also known as the Deming Cycle), which is fundamental to con-stant quality improvement and to the optimal use of resources.These four steps lead to the resolution of problems and, above all, to maintain-ing significant improvement levels. The first step, plan, involves establish-ing the action plan. Then comes do, i.e. implementing the plan.

During the third phase, check, the re-sults of the actions taken are verified. If the outcome is positive, you move on to the fourth step, act, which involves standardising and maintaining that which has just been implemented. Each successful action is followed by a process of cross-fertilisation, which results in extending the action to oth-er processes and/or other sites. This is what happened with the new Regional tyre, the technology and innovation of which has been extended to other product lines.The action phase is followed by a

new plan, which starts off another

Deming Cycle. Hence the constant

improvement.“An unsatisfied customer is a stronger, more urgent stimulus to taking steps to improve product quality. The feed-back we get from the market is crucial for Pirelli and for the Quality unit in particular, which is why this unit orga-nises periodic surveys in order to com-pare Pirelli’s products with the leading competition.“An analysis of strengths and weak-nesses and the perception of the cus-tomer help to identify corrective action

and potential areas for improvement.” As a means of sup-porting Research & Development, the Quality unit orga-nises market tests, which involve testing tyres with select fleets, so as to obtain all the data needed to assess the performance expected of a newly developed product.Specialists conduct systematic controls of the tyres being tested, looking at technical characteristics such as mileage, comfort, irregular wear, etc., the data for which is then processed and shared with the design team.A comparison between the indoor/out-door tests and these market tests veri-fies the requirements set by marketing specifications and confirms the quality of the tyres put on the market.

The utmost focus on customer satis-faction and constant innovation, as well as an eye on drive comfort and product aesthetics are the key ingre-dients in manufacturing a tyre of opti-mal quality.

Stricter controls ensure

that the products

on the market are

of higher quality

Attention to detailX-ray quality control at one

of Pirelli’s plants


ery of energy. Given their chemical and physical characteristics, EOL tyres can be ground down into various-sized pellets for use in construction. They also have a thermal potential that makes them an ideal source of en-ergy for the production of cement or in power or steam generation. One of the first priorities that the consortium will need to face is the scarcity of plants in Italy that are able to reuse the pellets obtained from grinding down tyres. This is why some 25% of this material is shipped abroad, which is a costly so-lution and one on which Ecopneus en-sures they are already work-ing a great deal.

A similar system of integrated manage-ment has been operational in Spain since May 2005. Here, tyre manufactur-ers and importers are required by law to prevent, reduce, recycle and recover the waste produced each year. Based on such legislation, the company Signus manages the entire process of recovering used tyres, from tyre collec-tion to the use of the materials derived from them.

To that end, Signus has the support of collection and classification centres throughout the country, as well as tyre shredding plants. In Spain, it is common to use the rubber pellets as the founda-tion for artificial turf, which has signifi-cant benefits, such as reducing water consumption. In countries such as the U.K. and Germany, which have opted for a free market, there is no one coordi-nating organisation, and each compa-ny in the industry is fully autonomous in seeing to their own responsibilities.

While this system is working perfectly in Germany, thanks to solid compa-nies that are able to afford the costs of research, efficient recycling plants throughout the country, and the know-how to take advantage of both poten-tial uses of EOL tyres (i.e. by-products and energy), in the U.K., the situation is quite different. Here, the system shows certain weaknesses, which are causing discontent among both the businesses in the industry and the general public, upset about the frequent abandon-ment of tyres throughout the country. For similar reasons, Slovenia, which is subject to a system of taxation (with the government being responsible for all aspects of organisation), has also cho-sen to follow in Italy’s footsteps begin-ning on 1 January 2011. Another aspect of note, and one which distinguishes the integrated management system from the free market, is that of research. In Italy, for example, where the inte-grated management model is about to be adopted, Ecopneus will also be responsible for developing innovative applications for the use of EOL tyres. In a free market system, businesses are the ones who need to take responsibil-ity for this type of research.

Lack of recovery 25% of EOL tyres are dumped illegally

The go-ahead could come by the end of June. If so, Ecopneus, the consortium established in 2009 in or-der to handle the tracking,

collection, treatment and final desti-nation of end-of-life (EOL) tyres and of which Pirelli is a member, will be op-erational in Italy as of 1 January 2011. Indeed, Article 228 of Italian Legislative Decree 152/2006 states that the leading tyre manufacturers and importers must ensure the proper management of EOL tyres, with the liability being proportion-ate to the market share concerned.When the implementing decree leaves the National-Regional Unified Conference, Italy will then also have a system of managing end-of-life tyres, with the consortium’s basic mission being that of organising and coordinat-ing a network of collection, recovery and monitoring. The consortium will also be responsible for the actual re-covery process.Based on Ecopneus estimates, some 350,000 tonnes of tyres are taken out of service each year in Italy alone. Of this total, some 25% goes missing. Such a high figure is due to the lack of a na-tional, integrated management system. The situation is due to change once Ecopneus begins its efforts to locate waste tyres by mapping all tyre dealers, service stations and auto mechanics; ensure that EOL tyres are transported from tyre dealers to temporary stor-age facilities and then to the recovery plants; promote new uses of EOL tyres in order to broaden their potential re-use in various fields through the devel-opment of new applications; and con-stantly monitor EOL tyres and provide accurate reporting, so as to keep a por-tion of this precious material from be-ing dumped illegally. The consumer will also benefit in the form of transparency. Currently, the environmental contribution paid by tyre buyers is not clearly specified. However, when the new system goes into effect, the contribution required for recovery (which is the same for all brands participating in Ecopneus) will be shown on the receipt of payment, and consumers will be confident that it is being used properly. One of two possible paths can be tak-en: recovery of the material or recov-

EcopnEus

Dealing with

End-of-life Tyres

Here is how the process of tracking, collecting and recovering end-of-life tyres is managed in European countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany and the UKby Giulia Giannini

Fate of EOL tyres in Italy

350.000tonnes.

20%recovery of

raw materials

25%dumped

Source: Ecopneus

55%energy recovery

EOL tyres are a

resource for the

construction industry

and a source of energy


few years now in the transport indus-try. From the specialisation of transport into transport by volume (using trail-ers mounting 17.5” and 19.5” together) and by weight (with trailers equipped with 385/65 R 22.5), there is now a shift towards greater versatility for the more modern fleets, which prefer to be able to combine transport by volume and by weight in the same vehicle.

As opposed to the 385/55 R 22.5 size, the use of 435/50 R 19.5 makes it possible to trans-port some 4 m3 more goods for the same weight capacity. Compared to the combined use of 19.5”, there is the advan-tage of being able to manage 6 tyres plus 6 rims, rather than 12 plus 12. In addition to optimising management and maintenance times, this results in a slight ad-vantage in weight capacity given

the same total maximum vehicle weight (around 190kg compared to the 285/70 R 19.5).Of course, apart from versatility, the performance levels that customers ex-pect in both cases, i.e. by weight and by volume, are the same in terms of dura-bility, mileage, integrity and reliability.However, from a technical point of view, given the tyre’s diameter, height profile and maximum flex, the struc-ture of this tyre is placed under higher levels of stress than other tyres – in-cluding load, lateral forces, deforma-tion, scratching – which increases the potential for failure at the edge of the belts and bead.For this reason, for this size Pirelli’s R&D technicians have developed a patented new structure, known as Twin Wrapped Spiral Technology, or “TWST” (see box), to go with the popu-lar SATT™ process technology.Combined with more innovative ma-terials (both compounds and cords), a reinforced bead and the Pirelli-patented Hexa Bead Wire (HBW), this new belt structure results in a tyre that provides the benefits that are a part of the “ECOIMPACT” concept common to all of the latest generation Series 01 tyres, a concept that unites perfor-mance benefits with respect for the environment.

product

Pirelli Truck’s 435/50 R 19.5 ST:01 completes the offering for trailers and semi-trailers for the high-way (H) and regional (R)

segments.Because of its size, this tyre is also called super single and is used, in particular, on “mega-trailers” used to for high-vol-ume transport.

Sales volumes are still limited com-pared to the 385/55 R 22.5 and 385/65 R 22.5 sizes, but the tyre’s popularity is on the rise. In central Europe in partic-ular, we are seeing an increasing use of the low and ultra-low series (i.e. 315/60 R 22.5, 315/70 R 22.5 and 385/55 R 22.5) on truck tractors.This is a direct result of the develop-ments that have been underway for a

Pirelli Truck has expanded its product range with a new size for the Series 01 for trailers and semi-trailers. It will be available in Juneby Valeria Aiesi

Super Single: a new size for mega-trailers

The popularity

of the 435/50 R 19.5 size

is growing, particularly

in the markets

of central Europe

More modern fleets

prefer to combine

transport by volume

and by weight in

the same vehicle

95 m3 99 m3

435/50 R 19.5385/55 R 22.5

Benefit Ecoimpact

Mileage - the use of specific high-performance compounds

- the new TWST structure and optimised tread profile, which result in uniform wear of the entire tread

Retreadability - TWST structure - Low-hysteresis compounds (to generate low levels of heat)

- Hexa Bead Wire (HBW – patented by Pirelli)

- Reinforced bead

Energy™ EfficientLow rolling resistance (already in line with 2016 thresholds) thereby reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions

Bassa rumorositàQuiet, comfortable driving.ST:01 is already compliant with 2012 standards regarding noise limitations

In accordance with European Community directives, compounds that are highly aromatic oil-free (HAOF) are also used to manufacture the 435/50 R 19.5 ST:01.

Greater transport volumesThis new size allows for 4 m3 more

volume of goods at the same

weight capacity.

ST:01 Super SingleThe tyre provides all of

the Ecoimpact benefits

common to all Series 01

products.


Spiralled zero-degree belts (patented by Pirelli) placed on the steel carcass The two 0° belts make it possible to:•limit carcass dilation and the stress at the belt edges, thereby reducing deformation and overheating, which increases tyre integrity, durability and retreadability•optimise the distribution of contact pressure, thereby improving abrasion resistance for the shoulder rib and achieving gradual, regular wear in this area of the tyre•achieve improved tyre stability, including with light loads, and handling on straight roads

3 support belts With high-performance single cords (HPSCs)The HPSCs are fully wrapped and isolated in the compound, thereby preventing the spread of any oxidation, which could reduce the first life of the tyre and compromise the use of the carcass for retreading.

“Gravel-guard” beltAn outer belt layer between the tread and the set of support belts increases carcass resistance to impact and fatigue.

Highly flexible carcass plyThinner, more flexible belt cords are used, resulting in:•Improved integrity and durability by giving the carcass greater resistance to fatigue•Low rolling resistance

“Dual-layer” tread compound•For the interior layer, compounds with very low hysteresis are used (to generate low levels of heat), thereby increasing integrity and lowering rolling resistance.•The external layer has been optimised for high abrasion resistance, thereby also providing maximum grip in the wet and lower breaking distance.

What components are essential when manufacturing a truck tyre?The basis of the compounds used is defi-nitely natural rubber. There are various kinds, and only certain types have the physical and mechanical characteris-tics for use in tyres. The natural rubber is then “reinforced” mainly with carbon black. Here, too, depending on the num-ber and size of the particles (i.e. how fine the grain is), various types of perfor-mance can be achieved. For example, some types of carbon black are used to increase tyre life in terms of distance trav-elled, while others significantly increase stress resistance. For this reason, some 15 different compounds can be used in a tyre, depending on their function and where they are used within the tyre.Nowadays, the structural part of a truck tyre is based on steel wire (of various diameters) that form the “frame” of the tyre to which the compounds are then applied, encompassing the frame. In a truck tyre, steel can account for more than 20% of its total weight.

On the sides of some tyres for indus-trial vehicles, there’s a number fol-lowed by “PR”. What does this mean?This indicator is now obsolete in Eu-rope and relates to the old standards for “conventional” tyre carcasses, which were based on multiple overlapping tex-tile fabrics.“PR” stands for ply rating (number of lay-ers) and is an indicator of the tyre’s load capacity or resistance, but is entirely un-related to the current load index system.

In Latin America or in Africa, where these conventional tyres are still in use, this labelling is required even for steel radial tyres (and is usually located next to the load index), which is why tyre manufacturers still tend to include it in their lettering.However, even when it’s not indicated, it’s possible to find it by checking the DOT code for the North American mar-ket (if found). This lettering includes an indicator for load range (LR) on a scale from A to N, and a conversion table can then be used to convert load range to ply rating. For example, LR G corresponds to 14 PR.

Do all tyres homologated for sale in Europe have to include the E3 code imprinted on the sidewall?The number following the “E” indicates the country in which the tyre was ho-

mologated. For example, E3 simply in-dicates the tyre was homologated in Italy, but a tyre can just as easily bear other country codes. For example, E4 indicates the Netherlands, and E1 is for Germany.

truck spEaks with rEadErs

FAQAn opportunity to answer questions about tyre use and maintenance in the transportation industry

Natural rubber The rubber is smoked in order to pre-

vent degradation and moulding

Country codeThe number after the “E” indicates the coun-

try in which the tyre was homologated

Ply RatingThe ply rating (PR) indicates the

tyre’s load capacity/resistance.

tEchnical spEciFications

New structure for the ST:01 Super SingleSpiralled 0° belts, three support belts, gravel-guard belt, innovative materials and a reinforced bead for a tyre that both meets the user’s demands and respects the environmentby Riccardo Pirovano

Bead structure

HEXA bead Wire (HBW – patented by Pirelli) •highly flexible for easier installation •stable bead temperatures and greater durability•retreadability

Reinforced bead (fitted metallic border) for greater resistance to lateral stresses and impacts even in the most severe conditions

Dual-compound bead•Flexibility•Robustness

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Truck?

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ticipation of our readers.Why not tell us about you work experience or a journey you’ve made. Is there a story you could share? Would you like infor-mation about Pirelli products? Interested in the digital version?

Write to [email protected]


1971The Cal

Sitting against this tree, I gaze upon the sunrise. At this time of day, no one else is around. I suppose I should be at home, too.And yet I’m here, back against a bumpy tree, the table sticky from the salty dew of the night before. The sun is rising on this stretch of beach, and gradually it will fill with people. The photographer will come, followed by the technicians with their lights, the makeup artists, and all the other girls. I like how the sun feels on my skin as it filters through the leaves. I bet the photographer will like it, too, and will want

me to wear just that. I’m sure he will. He’ll say, “Today you’ll wear the light of the dawn, filtering through the leaves. And you’ll be the month of March, and those who see you will think you must have been a bit cold that morning.”But I’m not cold now, even though the tree is damp and the table wet with dew, and the sunlight is still so white.The calm at this time of the morning is wonderful.

Francis Giacobetti in Jamaica for the Pirelli Calendar 1971

More kilometres on

all of Europe’s roads

page 12

the new FR:01 e tR:01

PiRelli eco technology

The advantages

of Pirelli Feelpure™

page 10

gaRtneR kg

Success through lasting

relationships

page 6

1

No. 1 MAGGIO 2009 The transport professionals’ magazine

No. 1MAY 2009

The Pirelli Group’s

European quarterly

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NOVATECK

Qualität in allen Lebensphasen des ReifensSeite 16

IM VORDERGRUND ATMStetige Verbesserung für Sicherheit und EinsparungSeite 6

Regional 01: ein revolutionärer reifenSeite 12

PRODUKT

1No. 1 MAGGIO 2009

Die Zeitschrift der Transport-Profis

No. 2SEPTEMBER 2009Europäische Quartalszeitschrift der Pirelli-Gruppe

Pneumatici per avere più controllopagina 12

sicurezza

motorsportLa Dakar in Sud America: 2 miliardi davanti alla tvpagina 18

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Il magazine dei professionisti del trasporto

No. 4MARZO 2010Trimestrale europeo del Gruppo Pirelli

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El secreto de

nuestro éxito

Página 6

Ecológicos, resistentes

y regenerables

Página 12

nuevos st:01eco technology

Los filtros antipartículas

desembarcan en Alemania

Página 10

La revista de los profesionales del transporteNo. 3DICIEMBRE 2009

Revista trimestral

europea

del Grupo Pirelli

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ecopneus highlight quality excellence tyres · 2010-10-27 · quality excellence for our customers...

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