Author: Dexterous-Admin

The automotive industry has faced various unprecedented challenges over the last few years due to Covid-19, Brexit and supply chain issues caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These challenges are particularly evident for fleet owners who are struggling to combat rising costs and long lead times as a result.

What Are The Challenges?

Parts & Vehicles Shortages
The shortage of critical components such as semiconductor chips mean that vehicle manufacturers cannot build new fleet vehicles and fulfil orders. These integral parts are only produced in a handful of specialist factories that have been severely impacted by global issues and has therefore created an ever-increasing gap between supply and demand.

With demand racing ahead of supply, fleets are facing longer delivery times, higher list prices and reduced discounts on new parts and vehicles. The average delivery time between ordering and delivery has tripled since the start of 2020!

Energy Costs
Fuel prices have fallen slightly since the £2 per litre peak in July 2022 but diesel is still proving more expensive that it was a year ago, and electric vehicle charging costs have also doubled in the same period.

The increasing fuel and energy prices affect operating costs for all businesses, but vehicle manufacturers specifically, will reflect this in higher prices for parts, vehicles and workshop time. Not only do fleet owners have to deal with the higher operating costs of their business but also accommodate the increased prices imposed by manufacturers.

Repairs, Maintenance and Tyres
Due to longer lead times and increased prices, vehicle manufacturers are prioritising components for new vehicles, whilst workshops are holding less stock and instead choosing to order on demand. Staff shortages because of the pandemic, decreased immigration and a skills shortage with electric vehicles, is also contributing to the longer lead times. The combination of these pressures has resulted in repair costs skyrocketing for fleets.

How Can These Challenges Be Mitigated?

It is going to take time for these challenges to be resolved and so minimising costs and downtime where possible has become even more important for fleets. The use of Air-Seal Products tyre sealant can help cut fuel costs and extend tyre life by maintaining optimum tyre pressure and avoid costly downtime waiting for tyre repair or replacements.

A fleet of ten trucks and trailers could see savings between
£17,000 – £30,000 per year as a direct result of using our tyre sealant range. Smiths (Gloucester) Ltd said the following:

“We keep records on all tyres which include full tyre life, repair, and replacement. These figures show the monthly repair costs on the treated tyres over the initial nine-month trial were reduced by almost two-thirds from £3,500 to £1,200, a saving of £20,700. When the tyres of all our vehicles have been treated, the total savings are expected to reach £27,600, before downtime costs.”

Still not convinced? Speak to a member of our technical team on +44 (0)1823 674411 or contact us online to find out more.

Out of 2,000 UK drivers, only 14% described tyres as the most crucial safety feature on their cars in a recent survey conducted by Bridgestone. 24% of motorists deemed airbags to be more important than the only contact points between a vehicle and the road, despite tyres being directly responsible for 491 casualties and 12 deaths in 2021.

Only 42% of motorists knew the legal tread limit of 1.6mm, and a staggering 54% didn’t believe that driving on illegal tyres is an extremely dangerous act. Bridgestone believe this lack of awareness on the importance of tyres is putting lives at risk. The tyre manufacturer is reminding motorists that any safety feature on a vehicle is only as good as the quality of the tyre beneath it.

Andrea Manenti, Bridgestone’s North Region Vice President, said; “the survey indicated there seems to be a lack of understanding of the critical role that tyres play on a car, and we at Bridgestone are determined to bring this to the forefront of minds. For example, the research also revealed that only 46% of motorists would call out a friend if they knew they were driving on illegal tyres, when the very act of doing this could be the difference between life and death.”

“Tyre awareness remains a huge issue in regard to road safety, but not an insurmountable one and we’ll be doing all we can to keep the issue of tyre safety at the forefront of motorists’ minds”. Read the full article here.

Air-Seal Products tyre sealant is often employed as an effective tyre management strategy for on-road fleets to help maintain optimum tyre pressure and prolong tyre life. Though it does not remove the need to check tyre pressure and tread depth, use of our tyre sealant range will reduce tyre replacement costs and remove unnecessary downtime. See more on fleet savings here.

Air-Seal Products had a busy few days at The Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in Birmingham last week. The show is the largest and most comprehensive road freight transport, distribution, and logistics event in Britain, making it unmissable for anyone operating commercial vehicles as part of their business.

Punctures are an inconvenience for any fleet manager as the multiple costs involved can have a large financial impact on any operation. The repair cost of a puncture is minimal when compared to other associated factors such as downtime, call-out, and the cost of a new tyre. Therefore, Air-Seal Products exhibits at the CV Show each year to demonstrate the effectiveness of our tyre sealants in reducing these issues.

The three-day show saw a multitude of our existing customers stopping by to let us know how happy they were with the performance of our tyre sealants. Both MRL Grab & Tip Ltd and Oliver Landpower Ltd have been using our products for over 15 years, and Mike Potts Haulage says our product is so good he never needs to replace tyres!

We also took the opportunity to catch up with some of our larger customers such as Argos and the Royal Mail Ltd, to whom we are the sole suppliers of tyre sealant.

Alongside catching up with familiar faces, Air-Seal Products also converted some non-believers into customers with our impressive tyre sealant demonstration. One new customer, J & R Car and Van Hire, was so impressed with our tyre sealant demo they bought three of our brand-new 4 litre jugs from the stand!

The Commercial Vehicle Show will be back again next year from the 23^rd-25^th April but if you can’t wait that long to see our infamous demo then click here. If you would like to purchase a product from our premier tyre sealant range, you can visit our online shop here.

Electric vehicles (EVs) appear to have the upper hand over Hydrogen vehicles at present, though this could be explained by the technology and infrastructure not being as developed for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (HFCVs). There is still every chance that Hydrogen could challenge Electric as the future of clean transport.

How do they work?
Electric vehicles are powered by a lithium-ion battery which then powers the motor of the vehicle, these batteries are then recharged by plugging into the electricity grid. Hydrogen vehicles also contain an electric motor fuelled by Hydrogen fuel cells which then react with oxygen to produce electricity and water vapour. These vehicles are refuelled in a similar way to petrol and diesel vehicles at Hydrogen specific service stations.

Pros and cons?
The infrastructure for Electric vehicles is far more advanced than Hydrogen with grants being offered by the UK towards the purchase and installation of domestic charging points. However, the infrastructure for Hydrogen vehicles is thought to be relatively straightforward to scale up with the right investment and support.

Electric is also generally cheaper to purchase with the cost of recharging less during off-peak grid times making them a good long-term investment. Although the lengthy charging times and shorter ranges of the Electric vehicles make the higher cost of Hydrogen refuelling, not dissimilar to current fuel prices, easier to accept.

Both vehicle options produce no emissions from the exhausts, but Co2 is released during the manufacturing processes, meaning that neither option is a completely zero emission product.

It seems that both Electric vehicles and Hydrogen vehicles need further research and development. Electric needs a solution for efficient recycling of batteries, quicker charging times, and increased ranges. While Hydrogen needs improved infrastructure and reduced costs for the extraction of Hydrogen for refuelling. Both options could be major solutions to ‘green’ transport and help meet the ambitious target of ending sales of non-zero emission cars and vans in 2035.

Both Air-Seal Products directors and our office manager were over the pond exhibiting at the largest construction show in North America last week. CONEXPO 2023 was held at the convention centre in Las Vegas from the 14th-18th March.  

The five-day show surpassed estimated attendance numbers and drew in over 139,000 construction professionals from over 133 countries, making this show 6% larger than 2020. With over 3 million net square feet of exhibit space covered by 2,400 exhibitors, you certainly needed the whole week to see the whole show. Even Managing Director, Alex, was amazed by some of the never seen before equipment that was on display and was told that if you walked every floor of the show then you would cover over 70 miles!  

Air-Seal Products met many new faces at CONEXPO, but it took travelling over 5000+ miles to catch-up with a familiar face from the UK. Existing customer Richard Melton from BSP International Foundations Ltd, world leaders in the manufacturing of hydraulic piling hammers, Rapid Impact Compactors (RICS) and road maintenance machinery, was also exhibiting at the show. 

As the construction show draws in attendees from around the world, this was a perfect opportunity for Air-Seal to expand its export business. Many interesting conversations were held regarding distribution opportunities in over 30 countries including China, Brazil, and Mexico. 

Air-Seal Director, Kerstin Burnand, caught up with huge social media influencer, Stanley “Dirt Monkey” Genadek who has been in the landscaping / excavating business for 20 years and is considered the voice of the industry by his peers. Stanley had nothing but great things to say about our range of premier products, having previously used them himself!

This impressive trade show is held every three years in Las Vegas so is set to return to the convention centre once again in 2026.  

Alex Burnand, Managing Director of Air-Seal Products, had a fantastic week exhibiting at IDEX 2023. The international defence exhibition took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from the 20^th-24^th February and Air-Seal were front and centre with co-exhibitors Remah International Group (RIG).

Air-Seal had the opportunity to demonstrate its range of premier products to many influential individuals at the show.

His Exellency (HE) Mohamed Al Qemsi, Chairman and Owner of co-exhibitor Remah International Group (RIG) and it’s 40+ associated companies had a lengthy discussion with Alex regarding Air-Seals range of products.

Major General Abdulrahmen Sabt, Assistant Chief of Joint Capabilities of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence enjoyed Air-Seals big spike demonstration so much, he then requested to see it a second time along with a technical  discussion on how it works.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Mansour, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Court also visited stand CP-249, although he unfortunately missed the demonstration of the premier tyre sealant.

If you missed Alex at the show and would like some further information on our range of premier tyre sealants, click here.

There is an ‘unknown’ tyre rule regarding mixing and matching your tyres on the same axle that could result in serious consequences. Most people are feeling the cost-of-living strain with inflation, but UK drivers are being warned about cutting costs on their tyre maintenance as it could cost them a £100 fine and 3 penalty points on their licence!

Even though it may be tempting to choose the most affordable option when getting a new tyre, it could be a costly mistake. According to the law, the tyres on the front axles must match, as should the tyres on the rear. Though you can have different tyre types on the front axle compared to the rear axle.

Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, warned motorists that “there are big differences between the types of tyres available – beyond just the brand – and mixing and matching them can be dangerous and illegal.”

It is important that the matching tyres have the same ‘construction’ i.e. the same ply type. This is most commonly ‘radial-ply’ or ‘cross-ply’ and refers to the layers of construction that sit under the surface rubber and gives the tyre strength. They should also have the same tread pattern and depth which can vary widely between manufacturers.

Not only is having unmatching tyres considered an offence in the eyes of the law, it could also lead to inconsistent performance, poor handling, a higher chance of catastrophic blowouts, and skidding due to poor water displacement. If you have extremely mismatched tyres on the same axle then it could even cause damage to your wheel bearings and clutch, as well as costing you more in fuel!

Stay up to date with tyre related news and avoid costly penalties through our events and news page here.

The largest indoor agricultural exhibition, LAMMA, was a huge success for Air-Seal Products on the 10^th and 11^th January 2023. The NEC in Birmingham saw nearly 34,000 visitors through the doors to see new features and the latest innovations on show.

Some have even reported that it was the “strongest show yet” with 65% of the almost 600 exhibitors confirming their return for 2024, Air-Seal being one of them. The trusty demonstration tyre was in constant use as farmers flocked to stand 656 in hall 18 to watch impressive 15mm punctures being instantly sealed by the premier tyre sealant.

There were multiple reports from visitors that the company’s video sensation which went viral with over 50 million views across social media platforms, was a driving force bringing them to the stand to check if the product “actually works”. These visitors were left suitably astonished to find that the product does what it says on the tin, with its fibre technology providing the ideal solution for saving time and money on their operations.

The Air-Seal team enjoyed catching up with over 25 existing customers such as R & D Agri Services, Avant South East, Morgan Pell Farms, Martin Hoare Digger Hire, T W Ives Livestock, R J & J White & Son, and J M A Pickford, to name a few that have had huge success with using the company’s range of premier tyre sealants.

Air-Seal’s Marketing Executive even had the pleasure of catching up with Kaleb Cooper, well-known for his appearance on Clarkson’s Farm, and passed on a bottle of sealant and Air-Seal hat!

The agricultural machinery exhibition will return to the NEC on the 17^th and 18^th of January 2024, but if you can’t wait that long to start saving on your puncture problems, then  you can visit the team onstand E60 at Dairy Tech on the 1^st February, or call +44 (0)1823 674411 to find out more.

Air-Seal Products prides itself on listening to our customers and providing the answers to your puncture problems. We have been supplying our range of premier tyre sealants in 20 litre pails and 950ml bottles for the last 22 years which you can view in our online shop.

For the first time, Air-Seal is introducing new packaging options to suit our customers’ needs. Whether you are a tyre fitter installing sealant directly into the tyre chamber of a telehandler, or a farmer protecting your ATV from punctures, Air-Seal Products have got the ideal solution for you.

Both new product lines will contain Air-Seal’s well-known Heavy Duty tyre sealant, there are no changes to the chemistry of the popular product, merely the way it is packaged.

The first new addition is the bag-in-a-box (BIB), which is a sturdy compact box filled with eight bags of tyre sealant, each bag containing three litres of product. Rather than the traditional pail and pump system, which allows product to be installed into a fitted tyre at pressure. The tyre bead needs to be broken from the wheel rim to install the BIB, and contents of the bag simply emptied into the tyre chamber. Due to the installation method, this product is particularly useful for tyre fitters and businesses that are fitting their own tyres.

The second brand new product is a 4-litre jug with a pump attached which can treat all four tyres on an ATV exactly. Simply deflate the tyre, attach the hose, and pump in the necessary quantity. Once the sealant has been installed, re-inflate the tyre to manufacturers specifications, and carry on with your day.

Make sure you contact Air-Seal Products on +44 (0)1823 674411, as there is a limited quantity of the brand-new 4 litre jugs available for pre-order!

Air-Seal HQ will be closed over the Christmas break with the final order date for delivery before Christmas being Wednesday the 21st December 2022. Any orders placed after this date will be processed and delivered when we re-open in the New Year.

You can order by…
Calling the office on +44 (0)1823 674411
Emailing sales@air-sealproducts.com
Visiting our online shop here

The office will be closed from Friday afternoon on the 23rd of December 2022 and will re-open on Tuesday the 3rd of January 2023 at 9am.

During this time there will be very limited access to emails to allow the Air-Seal team to enjoy a well-deserved break with their families.

Merry Christmas and we look forward to saving you money and downtime on your puncture problems in the New Year!

What makes a good tyre sealant?

If you have ever been stranded by a flat tyre on your ATV ten miles away or suffered a puncture on your combine in the middle of harvest, then you know the importance of a good tyre sealant. Let’s discuss the key characteristics of a high-performance tyre sealant to help you avoid wasting your hard-earned money on a sealant that doesn’t work and being stranded by an inopportune puncture. Whether your tyres are tubed, tubeless, high-speed, low-speed, on-road, off-road, or even water ballasted, Air-Seal Products can help.

How does a tyre sealant work?

The key word is ‘preventative’. The tyre sealant should be installed into the tyre as early in its life as possible so punctures can be sealed the instant they occur. A modern tyre sealant is a suspension of synthetic fibres and fillers in a thickened ethylene or propylene glycol (anti-freeze) and water “carrier system”, which allows the fibres and fillers to move within the tyre in liquid form.

When a puncture occurs, the air loss in the tyre propels the suspended fibres and fillers into the puncture site where the fibres snag on the rubber. These fibres tangle in the wound which stops air escaping. As the tyre rotates, the flexing of the rubber packs more fibres into the hole until no more will fit. The fillers (extremely small particles) will then pack in-between the fibres to form a permanent airtight seal that will last the life of the tyre.

Performance Characteristics

1) Fibres

The fibres constitute the backbone of the tyre sealant, the stronger the fibres, the stronger the repair. For example, Air-Seal Products use some of the strongest, abrasion-resistant synthetic aramid fibres, which were specifically chosen to ensure punctures are sealed for the life of the tyre.

2) Fillers

Once a strong plug has been formed by the fibres, the filler particles provide the final seal by lodging in between the fibres and forming an effective, air-tight seal.

3) Suspension Stability

The only purpose of the liquid portion of the sealant formulation is to carry the fibres and fillers to the site of the puncture, however, if a sealant separates then it will not perform effectively! Beware of sealants that show signs of separation in a container or require shaking or mixing before use! Did you know that Air-Seal Products have an indefinite shelf life? This means your grandchild could use the product you buy today in 100 years, and it will still perform perfectly.

4) Freeze Protection

Most tyre sealant users in this country will experience below freezing temperatures at least a few times per year. Be sure that your sealant is freeze protected to prevent the possibility of a horrendous vibration caused by a lump of ice in your tyres. Not to mention that ‘ice cubes’ don’t seal punctures! A good sealant such as Air-Seal Products will be protected down to minus 35 degrees centigrade.

5) Inertness

This means the sealant will not react chemically with any part of the tyre/wheel assembly, which is critical to maintain the manufactures warranty on both! Any sealant that works by “curing” or “reacting with air” should be avoided. Air-Seal Products is a purely mechanical repair, and they believe there should be no reaction at all!

5) Corrosion Protection

Most (if not all) tyre sealants contain water, and we all know what happens to metal after prolonged exposure. The same technology used to prevent corrosion and rust in water cooling system works in sealants. Ensure that your sealant contains corrosion inhibitors like Air-Seal Products before you put it into those tyre and wheel assemblies that could cost hundreds to replace!

What else can tyre sealants do?

The most dramatic benefit of a high-performance tyre sealant is the prevention of flat tyres from punctures. Additional benefits you could experience with the right sealant includes the prevention of slow air-leaks which stops under-inflation of tyres, increases fuel efficiency up to 3%, and increases tyre life up to 20%. This will also reduce the risk of catastrophic failures such as blowouts (on-road) or ‘bead roll-offs’ (off-road). The financial savings associated with the use of a good tyre sealant can be-overshadowed by the safety benefits!

Still not convinced? Watch a demonstration of Air-Seal Products tyre sealant working here.

How do I buy Air-Seal Products tyre sealant?

There are multiple ways you can purchase Air-Seal Products range of premier tyre sealants:
Visit our online shop
Call the team on +44 (0)1823 674411.
Email sales@air-sealproducts.com