Suffolk haulier Bartrums says a Michelin full-service tyre management contract has helped remove cost uncertainty while supporting its wider sustainability programme. The Eye-based operator reports an estimated 55.7 tonnes of CO₂ savings in 11 months through a full Michelin tyre policy using regrooving and retreaded truck tyres.
The agreement is managed through Michelin’s Connected Solutions division, with Tructyre carrying out daily checks and tyre management. For Bartrums, the main attraction appears to be predictable fleet tyre costs combined with a lower-waste approach to casing use.
Tremayne Johnson, Operations Director at Bartrums, said the haulier valued “the stability and surety of cost” provided by the Michelin-managed contract. He added that Michelin’s four-lives policy “complements our own sustainability efforts”.
That policy gives a tyre several service phases. In practice, worn tyres are regrooved once tread depth reaches about 3mm to 4mm. After that, suitable casings can be retreaded at Michelin’s Remix plant in Stoke. The renewed tyre can then be regrooved again.
Tyre News has recently covered similar fleet tyre developments, including Michelin’s long-term tyre management deal with Go-Ahead and McGill’s Group consolidating its 625-vehicle fleet under a Michelin managed contract. The trend also links with Michelin’s truck tyre and fleet AI plans for RTX 2026, where retreading, connected fleet tools and tyre lifecycle management were central themes.
The Bartrums case is relevant because it joins several pressures now facing UK transport operators. Hauliers need to control tyre spend, reduce downtime and demonstrate progress on carbon. Retreading helps by keeping casings in productive use for longer, while also supporting domestic manufacturing capacity.
Bartrums operates more than 450 wheeled assets, including Volvo and Mercedes-Benz tractor units, curtainside trailers and bulk tippers. Its fleet uses Michelin X Multi, X Works, XZY3 and Remix fitments across tractor and trailer applications.
The contract also supports operational consistency across mixed duty cycles. General haulage trailers, bulk tippers and tractor units each place different demands on tyre wear, damage resistance and rolling efficiency. A managed policy gives the operator a clearer route to matching fitments with usage.
The tyre agreement sits alongside Bartrums’ broader investment in lower-emission transport. The company already operates a Volvo FH Electric on bulk tipping work and has installed a 400kW Voltempo high-power charging system at its site.
The charger will support two incoming Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 4x2 trucks with ProCabins. These vehicles will run Michelin X Line Energy F tyres on the front axle and Michelin X Multi Energy D2 tyres at the rear, supporting low rolling-resistance operation.
Government support for depot charging is also becoming more important to hauliers. The Department for Transport and Office for Zero Emission Vehicles said the Depot Charging Scheme is designed to help operators install charging infrastructure for electric vans, coaches and HGVs.
Bartrums’ activity shows how tyre policy is increasingly tied to wider fleet planning. The operator serves customers in sectors including brewing, food and beverage logistics, while its location near the Port of Felixstowe adds further demand for haulage services.
It also runs palletised freight through Pallet-Track and The Hazchem Network, operates warehousing across four facilities and has further expansion planned for 2027. Rooftop solar projects are being delivered with West Suffolk Council, while the business also runs an in-house workshop.
For tyre suppliers, the message is clear. Fleet operators are looking beyond purchase price and mileage alone. They want tyre programmes that can support uptime, carbon reporting, casing management and the transition towards electric commercial vehicles.
Tagged with: Michelin, Bartrums, truck tyres, fleet tyre management, retread tyres, Michelin Remix, regrooving, low rolling resistance tyres, electric HGVs, depot charging, tyre sustainability, Tructyre
Disclaimer: This content may include forward-looking statements. Views expressed are not verified or endorsed by Tyre News Media.
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