Executive summary
- Locally engineered, tested and manufactured Bandag B119 succeeds the popular BRL3 trailer retread with enhanced fuel saving and emission reduction.
- Bandag B119 complements the operational advantages of Bridgestone’s Ecopia R119 trailer tyre solutions.
- More than 5.2 million kilometres conducted on Australian highways to validate B119’s performance.
- Bandag retreads continue to be a cost-effective tyre solution that supports a circular economy and industry decarbonisation.
Bandag B119
Market leading commercial tyre solution supplier, Bridgestone, is doubling down on its commitment to bolstering the Australian and New Zealand transport industry’s efficiency and sustainability efforts, with the launch of the all-new Bandag B119 trailer solution.
The B119 retread pattern is the newest addition to the range of pre-cured tread manufactured locally at the Bandag factory in Wacol, Queensland, and replaces the increasingly popular BRL3.
Developed and engineered in Australia by Bridgestone and Bandag’s locally based Technical Field Service team, B119 is modelled on the design of the industry leading fuel saving trailer tyre, the Bridgestone Ecopia R119, and complements on the operational benefits of the low-rolling resistance tyre.
Through a focus on operational efficiency, the B119 achieves a 15% reduction1 in rolling resistance compared to its predecessor, contributing to an improvement of up to 2.9% in fuel consumption1. Additionally, with Bandag’s strongest and most durable compound improving resistance to irregular wear and minimising premature removal, Bandag B119 provides operators with the lowest consolidated tyre and fuel cost per kilometre within the Bridgestone truck and bus range.
Bridgestone Australia Sales Director, Claudio Sodano, is confident the B119 will be embraced by the industry because of its multiple benefits.
“The introduction of the B119 is unique because of its local end to end development and manufacture, to specifically suit the Australian and New Zealand market. It’s an achievement we’re incredibly proud to be unmatched on,” Mr Sodano said.
“We’re confident that it will drive great uptake of our low-rolling resistance trailer retread solution, continuing the trajectory of the BRL3 it replaces. With comparable wear life, and enhanced fuel saving capabilities, as well as the same design and attributes as our Ecopia R119 trailer tyre, we know it will be well received by operators.”
According to Mr Sodano, the key advantage is supporting operators in realising operational efficiencies, and harnessing B119’s economic and environmental benefits to help them achieve their objectives.
“The B119 is also a significant product for our lineup because of the incredible efficiencies it provides operators, especially in linehaul and regional haul applications. The cost per kilometre for tyre and fuel allows operators to optimise their tyre and fuel spend,” he said.
“We know that tyres and fuel are key operational expenses fleets face, so being able to offer a product that helps them in optimising their tyre and fuel spend is a real point of difference. Not only that, but the use of B119 contributes to in-use carbon emission reduction as well as throughout the entire lifecycle of the product,” he added.
Bandag retreads are a more sustainable tyre solution for fleet operators, providing both economical efficiencies over new tyre costs, as well as supporting businesses in their efforts towards decarbonisation and reducing their environmental impact. A Bandag retread uses considerably less raw materials, including rubber, oil and carbon black to produce, as well as significantly less water and energy resources than that of a new tyre.
The production of a retread sees a 34% reduction in carbon emissions compared to a new tyre – the equivalent of 73kg per unit2, based on a commissioned life cycle analysis of the Bandag process. This reduction is then compounded each time a tyre casing is retreaded, to a 51% saving on the third time, or 110kg of carbon emissions.
In line with the carbon emission reduction, the retreading process also sees a 46% reduction of waste on the first retread, and nearly 70% by the time the unit is retreaded a third time, with the process not only seeing cases reused, but also recovered material used in the manufacture of the tread compound.
Bandag B119 – the quiet achiever
The Bandag B119 has proven itself as a stronger, more durable product than its predecessor. Use of the Ecopia R119 pattern design as well as durable, hardwearing compound in its development, results in better cut chip resistance and less stone retention.
Because of its excellent durability, B119 is suited to medium on/off road applications as well as linehaul and regional haul use. Performance has been proven over 5.2 million kilometres of testing in actual end-use applications of metro to mine site on/off road routes, metro and regional freight, and east coast linehaul applications.
“We test our products extensively prior to launch so that operators can be certain they are using safe, reliable and durable products that live up to our high expectations for performance,” Mr Sodano said.
“For B119, performance is characterised by its low-rolling resistance, durability and fuel saving capabilities, and it is delivering on all fronts. It’s a highly effective and economical product and plays a key role in our range of sustainable tyre solutions into the future,” he added.
The Bandag retreading process is a core activity in Bridgestone’s transition towards becoming a sustainable solutions company, and achieving its global material circularity ambitions, with a target of 40% recycled or renewable materials used by 20303.
Locally, Bandag’s retread offering sees more than 6,000 tonnes of material remanufactured and re-used each year. In addition to case re-use, throughout the retread process, waste material is captured and reused in the manufacturing process or recycled into other products such as rubber flooring.
- Figures are estimates based on B-Double line haul operations. Improvement based on comparison to BRL3. Final results may vary depending on actual conditions
- Details available on the Bridgestone Australia website.
- Bridgestone has set global long-term environmental targets.
About Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand:
Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand offers a range of services and solutions to all segments of the Australian market to deliver social value and customer value. Bridgestone’s extensive range of quality tyres is complemented by the provision of mechanical and fleet services through the company’s nationwide retail network of Bridgestone Select Tyre & Auto, Bridgestone Service Centres and Bridgestone Tyre Centres, mobile service provider Lube Mobile, and the manufacturing and sale of quality retreads through Bandag Pty Limited. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tyres and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
