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At
Ellerbrock managing director
Matthias Leppert is ready for
actions of improvement whenever it
is a matter of making the production
even more efficient. »The
treasure-hunter« makes out a new
starting point here and there by way
of his analysis. However, by and by
the possibilities of optimisations
are exhausted, especially as the
plant in Henstedt-Ulzburg proves to
be the most modern throughout Europe
after the fire in the plant and its
reconstruction.
Therefore, nothing of the new
automatic assembly and feeding Line,
for example, has to be improved, it
is all new and as a consequence »state
of the art«. The qualified engineer
with a academic degree knows as his
colleague, managing director Dirk
Rohmann that there is not any
possibility of avoiding to increase
prices. Rohmann regards the
Situation as very problematic. »We
have increased the prices as a first
step by three percent in the year
2004, aas a second step by three to
five percent in 2005,« explaind
Rohmann. The adjustment of prices
are to him a kind of tightrope walk:
»New tyres from China are in direct
competition to our products. The
price gaps between retreads and new
tyres from the Far East are getting
smaller and smaller.«
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Martin Werner, in Charge of materials management, sees no big chance to decrease the costs for the procurement of materials. »The price rally may have lost its
momentum, nevertheless prices continue to rise. And an end is not on the horizon,« explains Werner. »The oil price makes
everything sway.« Dirk Rohmann puts himself in the place of
his customers in the transport industry: »Here the chance of reducing costs often vanishes into thin air.« And it is not the rise in prices of the retreads, which brings to
bear its pressure on the customers, but rather fuel, tolls, energy costs, higher prices for commercial vehicles, all adding up quickly.
For this reason Ellerbrock tries to find »treasures« in the companies of his own customers. Klaus Zimmermann, with an excellent command of several languages and who
presented the Company for a long time in his capacity as managing director and who is now active as consultant, has always seen himself as »someone who solves problems for
his customers«. »We identify ourselves with the problems of the customers, their problems and challenges are ours as well. It is our most important goal to make ourselves
available as partners to our customers at any time.« This motto is valid more than ever for the two managing directors Leppert and Rohmann, and has gained even more
importance today.
Dirk Rohmann, the man at the sales front, has up his sleeve a new Ellerbrock-product, that contributes to a more economic Operation. The new tread is called »DAone«, and is
provided for super-single tyres. Rohmann explains: »The PRL-tread is in line with the development goal of the new tyre - which means: high mileage, smooth ride, even
wear, optimal traction and grip, both under dry and wet road conditions.« The engineers of the Ellerbrock retreading technololgy (ERT) succeeded completely in achieving these
targets.
Rohmann adds: »The market for SuSi-tyres will continuously undergo further developments in the years to come. The demands set by the transport companies on more load
capacity, flexiblity and technological
innovations are decisive. Not only do the vehicle producers have to react to this, but also the tyre producers, who represent themselves as the natural partners to the vehicle industry. The requirements towards reduced height, less weight and higher weight-bearing capacity per tyre/axle as well as the trend towards run-flat Systems and breakdown-service have consequently led to the design of the Super Single-tyre.«
»We, in our capacity as retreaders, cannot close our eyes to this trend, though the quantities at present are not yet important. If the trend asserts itself, the number of driving axles to be renewed will slightly decrease, which is, by the way, not useful to this line of business,« explains Rohmann. Nevertheless ERT has faced up to this challenge and has introduced the tread DAone as a serial product. The ERT-managers are convinced of this product: »The high-quality rubber compound of the tread is equal in any way to a new tyre. This has been proved by serial and field tests.«
One of the main reasons for the short development time of the DAone is based on the latest production and research facilities in the new plant in Henstedt-Ulzburg. Intelligent and efficient production methods as well as innovative and flexible planning procedures make ERT to one of the leading companies in the sector of producers of retreading materials. The rapid change of moulds as well as short distances and production times enable the Company to react quickly to the requirements of the customers, adds Matthias Leppert, the chief engineer.
The new DAone-tread, especially designed for the Autobahn and long distances, replaces the 315/70R22,5, the twin tyres for driving axles; In comparison to the twin tyres, the Super Single with DAone (M+S designation) offers an increase in payload of up to 130 kg and two percent fuel saving.
Source: Gummibereifung 10|2005 |
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