News
- 18th October 2018
Recent survey finds nearly four in 10 LCVs running on dangerously inflated tyres! -
Recent fleet inspections carried out across the UK have found that 39 per cent of the light commercial vehicles (LCVs) it checked were operating on at least one tyre inflated to dangerous levels, posing potential safety risks and driving up operating costs.
A sample of 100 LCVs across multiple fleets – including vans, minibuses and ambulances, plus some operating with light trailers – inspected more than 400 individual tyres. It red-flagged 17 per cent of tyres for being under or over-inflated by at least 25 per cent – which can cause a tyre to have less grip, reduced stability under braking and cornering, plus an increased risk of tyre failure.
A further 21 per cent of tyres were flagged amber, meaning their pressures could negatively affect vehicle handling and fuel consumption, as well as speed up tread wear.
The inspection team calculated the average potential saving per vehicle it inspected to be approximately £150 per year – when considering the enhanced fuel consumption and longer tyre life from an LCV operating on correctly inflated tyres.
Other long-term savings will be made through a reduction in tyre-related breakdowns and downtime, tyre damage, accidents, related legal and insurance costs and reputational loss.
A fleet inspector said: “20 of the vans we checked were brand new, yet more than half of the tyres were under-inflated; a quarter of them seriously so. This is particularly concerning given they’d just arrived on a customer’s fleet, fresh from the supplying dealer’s pre-delivery inspection process.”
The inspections revealed one vehicle with a 69 per cent difference in tyre pressure between the offside front and offside rear tyres, another vehicle with two tyres over-inflated by 61 per cent and a vehicle with one rear tyre 54 per cent under-inflated – meaning it was running with less than half the advised pressure.
Commenting on the issue, he adds: “The lack of focus on tyre pressures continues to be a major problem for LCV fleets. It can cause a vehicle to burn more fuel, as well as increasing CO2 emissions, tyre wear and stopping distances. In contrast, taking steps to keep on top of pressures can be a win-win situation, bringing significant advantages from a duty of care point of view under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), as well as from an environmental and financial standpoint.”
Fact panel: How tyres can affect safety & cost
· A tyre which is 20 per cent under-inflated will typically return 20 per cent less mileage before needing to be replaced.
· Tyres under-inflated by 15 psi lead to around 6% greater fuel consumption.
· Driving on under-inflated tyres reduces longevity, leading to deterioration that can result in a rapid deflation. 7 psi or more is classed as dangerous under-inflation.
· With under-inflated tyres, steering is less precise. If a bend can be taken at 62 mph at a tyre pressure of 29 psi, this drops to 54 mph at 15 psi.
· If tyre pressures are 30 per cent below the recommended pressures, there is a sharp increase in the risk of aquaplaning.
· Typical braking distances from 56 mph to 43 mph are 40m at 29 psi, and 5m longer at 15 psi.
- 26th September 2018
Raising money for Macmillan - The World's Biggest Coffee Morning 
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Air-Seal Products are having a coffee morning in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support. We all know how important funding new research and supporting people with cancer is and we would like to do our bit.
Feel free to pop along on Friday the 28th September between 11am and 1pm for some lovely homemade cake, tea, coffee and a chat. All donations and money raised will be going straight to MacMillan. Everyone welcome!
- 3rd September 2018
Lucky for some? Just 13 of 152 part worn dealers retailing legal tyres -
Investigations by TyreSafe in partnership with Trading Standards over the past five years have revealed a staggering 139 of the 152 part worn outlets visited were selling illegal and unsafe tyres to unsuspecting motorists. That leaves just 13 dealers selling roadworthy tyres from inspections spanning from Scotland to London.
Tyres are an essential factor in road safety as the only part of a vehicle in touch with the road. Tyres provide the grip which both braking and steering systems depend upon to be effective. Driving with defective tyres will mean a vehicle takes longer to stop and be more difficult to control when cornering.
However, TyreSafe and Trading Standards investigations have highlighted part worn retailers are either ignoring their responsibilities when selling tyres or do not have the required skill to serve motorists properly. During test purchases, some have fitted tyres with water in them to wheels, others have provided the wrong size of tyre, and the supply of examples with nails and other objects embedded in them is all too common.
A recent case has resulted in part worn retailer Hemel Tyres in Bury Road, Hemel Hempstead being ordered to pay over £7,000 in fines and costs, following prosecution by Hertfordshire Trading Standards. In reaching their verdict the magistrates said they were shocked at the case and had considered the potential implications of selling unsafe tyres. In determining the penalties they said that they had considered a custodial sentence and if there were further offences it was highly likely to result in prison for the retailer.
Terry Hone, Executive Member for Community Safety, said: “We hope that this sends a message to the part-worn tyre market in Hertfordshire that we take these matters very seriously. Our consumers should be able to expect that any tyre they buy for road use complies with safety standards.”
Stuart Jackson, Chairman of TyreSafe, said: “TyreSafe applauds the magistrates’ comments and penalties in this latest conviction but it must be acknowledged that the retail of dangerous and defective tyres by part worn dealers is unacceptably commonplace nationwide.
“While the shocking findings of joint investigations may reveal some part worn dealers are compliant, even if it is fewer than one-in-ten, motorists have a 90 per cent chance of visiting an outlet selling illegal tyres. As far as TyreSafe is aware, there is no other retail sector with such an atrocious track record. Let’s remember these dealers are selling safety critical components - when tyres are driven in an unroadworthy condition, a vehicle’s braking and steering are compromised, and road users are put at significant risk of a catastrophic tyre failure.
“TyreSafe pledges to continue its potentially life-saving work with Trading Standards and partners with an ambition to drive compliance and competence among part worn retailers.”
TyreSafe is campaigning to drive compliance of part worn retailers with the governing legislation (Consumer Protection Act 1987, referencing the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994) and raising their competence to a level comparable to new tyre retail technicians.
- 3rd September 2018
Continued success for one of our customers!! -
An updated testimonial letter from John O'Conner Grounds Maintenance who have been using our product for over 11 years now! "100% success rate, savings on puncture repairs and downtime, finally a product that works" are just a few of the quotes that highlight how happy John O'Conner are using our product.
- 22nd August 2018
Air-Seal Products launches new Fleet Calculator -
Air-Seal Products is proud to announce the recent development of its new Fleet Calculator.
Spending just five minutes of your time to complete our savings calculator will illustrate just how much time and money you can save with the use of our tyre sealants.
Please contact us directly for more information on how we can save you on downtime, extend tyre life and increase your fuel economy.
- 23rd October 2017
Our Chilean distributor working hard at The Seguridad Show in Santiago, Chile -
Here is Said Gidi, our Chilean distributor from Airseal-Chile, exhibiting at The Seguridad Show in Santiago, Chile. The show runs from 23rd - 25th October. You can find Said demonstrating our premier tyre sealants on Stand Number 643 ES.
- 9th January 2006
Increase in tyre prices - we can decrease your tyre cost -
Several leading tyre manufacturers have just increased their prices by up to 10% and also limited production of larger tyre sizes are resulting in a delayed delivery.
Use our tyre sealants and we can increase the tyre life by up to 20% and save you from replacement costs for your existing and new tyres.
