Bridgestone extends tyre contract with Arla Foods

Tyre specialist Bridgestone has announced an extension of its fleet agreement with dairy farmer cooperative Arla Foods, with a renewed contract for tyre supply and maintenance now in place until 2018.

Bridgestone and Arla have been working together in the UK since 2010, while the tyre manufacturer also supplies into the north Europe region, specifically markets in Denmark and Sweden.

Bridgestone’s Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) and tailored package of support were both cited as major factors in the extension, with call-out times being reduced by up to 30 per cent as a direct result.

Bridgestone’s commercial sales director Greg Ward said: “To be in a position to announce this news is a great feeling for a number of people, who have been in discussions for a long time now.

“We have demonstrated real value to Arla by not only reducing call-outs through our support, but also identifying opportunities to deliver fuel savings by way of our TPMS technology.”

Arla’s dairy products are delivered across the length and breadth of the country to its portfolio of brands, including Lurpak and Anchor.

Bridgestone says it supplies Arla with the most cost-efficient tyres, supported by real-time monitoring and analysis of fleet performance. The products, services and systems are delivered by Bridgestone’s Truck Point service network, combined with the specialist Bandag retread network.

Arla’s maintenance teams are also supported by Bridgestone’s fleet managers, who offer specialist advice and consultation.

To maximise efficiencies and fleet uptime for customers, Arla and Bridgestone deploy methods such as on-site coaching and monthly performance reviews, to identify and implement service improvements.

Greg added: “Discussions have been in place for some time now and we are delighted to have reached an agreement. We think it demonstrates longevity and offers an endorsement of our commercial fleet solutions.”