It's all a matter of pressure

Leif Riget makes no compromises when it comes to the look of his tractors and trailers: elaborate and detailed airbrush paint jobs make for an unmistakable eye-catcher – his vehicles feature well-known film characters and celebrities. The head of the transport company attaches just as much importance to factors such as safety and sustainability. That’s why he was immediately thrilled when he learned that his forwarding company was one of the first in Denmark to be allowed to use the AirSave tyre pressure control system.

The tank trailers from Riget Transport ApS literally have to carry heavy loads: the company has specialised in liquid manure and chemical transport since it was founded in 2006. Off-road passages are not uncommon in the agricultural sector. They put a strain on the Axles and tyres of the vehicles, for which mileages of between 170,000 and 180,000 kilometres per year are common. ”If there are any unscheduled downtimes, it means that the planned processes are severely disrupted,” emphasises Leif Riget.

It is therefore not surprising that the head of the transport company has always ensured that the technology is in perfect condition at all times. For example, he encourages his team of drivers to regularly check tyre pressure by hand and to document this in writing. While this preventive measure gives a certain degree of safety, it is only a snapshot of a moment in time and also takes time. Permanent, automatic monitoring and control of the tyres is much more convenient, easier and also more reliable.

After all, even minimal pressure losses can be expensive. Tyre damage costs Riget around 10,000 Danish kroner, which is about 1,300 euros. ”But these are only the small costs. Rims can also be damaged. And there are follow-up costs due to unplanned downtimes, which often last several hours – not to mention the safety aspect,” reports the company owner. ”If we are unlucky and it takes longer to repair the damage on the road, there is a risk that there will be no driving time left at all, resulting in a full working day being lost.”

That’s why Leif’s ears pricked up when his long-time business partner Sune Boelskifte, Technical Manager at Danish trailer manufacturer VM Tarm a/s, first told him about the AirSave system from BPW. This solution not only constantly monitors the tyre pressure, but also automatically adjusts it to the desired level if required via a booster control box. In the event of major pressure deviations, which indicate tyre damage, a warning lamp immediately informs the driver. Before subsequent problems arise, the driver can head for a garage in good time instead of breaking down on the road or getting stranded.

Riget was immediately interested in using the system in their everyday operation. ”We have often seen drivers coming back to base with under-inflated tyres. If we can eliminate or reduce this risk and the associated costs thanks to the new system, that means real value added for us.” No sooner said than done: Riget had the next new tanker trailer fitted with the automatic tyre pressure monitoring in the summer of 2022.

The installation of AirSave was already impressive. ”The system is easy to install, everything is basically self-explanatory,” Sune Boelskifte describes. The vehicle manufacturer, which specialises in weight-optimised tank trailers for demanding application conditions, is just as interested in practical experience with AirSave as Leif Riget. Based on more than 60 years of experience, VM Tarm focuses on high quality, sustainability and innovative trailers, The focus of vehicle production is on tanks for feed, liquid manure, chemicals, milk, oil and petrol as well as vacuum tankers, lorry bodies and various special tankers. VM Tarm has been relying on axles, air suspensions and other components from BPW for over 20 years, reports Boelskifte.

Riget has integrated the first trailer equipped with AirSave directly into the daily operation of its vehicle fleet. ”It is still too early for detailed evaluations; we are constantly analysing the operation of the new tanker trailer. In any case, the experience we have gained so far already looks very promising,” is his interim conclusion. He wants to constantly keep an eye on the savings made by optimising the tyre inflation pressure in order to be able to calculate the individual benefits.

This is not just about increasing safety and saving time and money by preventing downtimes on the road. In addition, optimally regulated tyre inflation pressure at all times contributes to greater efficiency in daily operations – both economically and ecologically. This means significantly reduced fuel consumption, lower CO2 emissions and less wear and tear. According to BPW’s calculations, a three-axle vehicle with an annual mileage of 120,000 kilometres and an average pressure deviation of ten per cent can save more than 700 euros per year – thanks to the fuel savings of around 250 litres and the longer service life of the tyres. An additional gain is reflected in the reduction in environmental pollution by 655 kilograms of CO2 per year.

Sune Boelskifte expects additional attention on the topic when the new UN-ECE-R-141 regulation legislation comes into force and tyre pressure monitoring systems becomes mandatory standard equipment for trailers as well. Since July 2022, the EU requirement applies to all new vehicle type approvals, and from July 2024, tyre pressure monitoring is mandatory for all newly registered trailers. Leif Riget certainly doesn’t want to wait that long. The transport company can already imagine equipping its next trailers with AirSave – especially since it relies on BPW Axles for the vast majority of its trailers anyway.