MICHELIN CALCULATES NHS TRUST COULD SAVE MORE THAN £20,000 BY CORRECTING ITS TYRE PRESSURES
Stoke-on-Trent – December 6, 2013
A Yorkshire NHS Trust has discovered it could save almost £22,000 per year if all employee vehicles were driven with tyres at the correct pressures.
The revelation was made after Michelin visited the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to test the pressures and condition of employees’ tyres.
Results from the 75 cars tested showed that 49 per cent of tyres were at the correct pressure – better than the national average of 28 per cent – and a further 24 per cent of tyres were classed as ‘acceptable’, meaning they were up to 7psi under-inflated.
Technicians found 15 cars which had at least one tyre ‘dangerously’ or ‘very dangerously’ under-inflated.
In addition to the serious safety risks posed, under-inflated tyres also cost motorists more in fuel.
If the results from the recent test are indicative of the 2,000-strong fleet at the Trust, Michelin estimates fuel savings of £21,750 could be made each year.
The Trust’s Fleet Manager, Leigh Hancock, who was introduced to Michelin via the NHS’s approved vehicle supplier Volkswagen Group Leasing, said the event had been a real eye opener for him and all Trust staff.
He said: “Volkswagen Group Leasing got in touch with us a few months ago with regards to Michelin looking at our fleet and seeing how they could help.
“We are interested in all aspects of health and safety as well as helping the environment, and of course making savings is always important, so we were keen for them to visit. The staff were really positive and many more than expected turned up to get their tyres checked on the day.”
He added: “We were surprised to hear that only half of the tyres were at the correct pressure – and even more surprised to hear that is much better than the national average!
“Now we know how much of a difference tyre pressure can make we will make a concerted effort to encourage all staff to take action. It’s such a simple step but the savings clearly add up.”
Volkswagen Group Leasing’s Public Sector Sales Manager, Marco Capozzoli, said: “Michelin are currently our first choice tyre fitment policy but whatever tyres you have it is so important to maintain the correct pressures.
“This event has shown a significant amount of savings could be made, and we will be supporting the Trust in their efforts to educate staff about the importance of tyre pressures.”
Michelin’s Head of Fleet, Dave Crinson, hopes the South West Yorkshire Trust can set an example to the rest of the NHS.
He said: “We hear a lot in the news about how the NHS is trying to make savings. Correcting tyre pressures is a simple task that can save a lot of money, not to mention the hugely positive impact it can have on safety and the environment.
“Our figures show this Trust alone could potentially save almost £22,000 each year. Imagine how much the whole NHS could save if all staff paid close attention to their tyres.”
ends
Notes to editor:
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk)
The South West Yorkshire Partnership is a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services to more than one million people in Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. The Trust also provides some medium secure (forensic) services to the whole of Yorkshire and the Humber.
Michelin (www.michelin.co.uk)
Michelin, the leading tyre company, is dedicated to sustainably improving the mobility of goods and people by manufacturing and marketing tyres for every type of vehicle, including aircraft, bicycles/motorcycles, cars, earthmovers, farm equipment and trucks. It also offers electronic mobility support services on ViaMichelin.com and publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in more than 170 countries, has 113,400 employees and operates 69 production plants in 18 different countries. The Group has a Technology Center in charge of research and development with supporting operations in Europe, North America and Asia. (www.michelin.com)
For further press information please contact:
David Johnson, Michelin Press Office
Tel: + 44 (0) 1782 402341 Email: d.johnson@uk.michelin.com
Lucy Harvey or James Keeler at Garnett Keeler PR, Inver House, 37-39 Pound Street,
Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3PG
Tel: +44 (0)20 8647 4467 Fax: +44 (0)20 8544 4711 E-mail: lucy.harvey@garnettkeeler.com
MICHF/182/13
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