Independent sawmiller and leading timber supplier James Jones and Sons has switched to a 100 per cent Michelin policy on its Lockerbie Sawmill industrial machinery fleet after recording impressive tyre life gains.

The 150-year-old firm, based in Larbert, Stirlingshire, first tried Michelin's XZM tyres when its Lockerbie Log Yard Manager, Iain Gale, realised tyre bills for its industrial fleet were extortionate.

"We were using a variety of different budget tyres at the time," says Gale. "We had a few Michelin tyres on our forklift trucks, but on the whole we were buying according to price, thinking it would save us money. In fact, the reverse was true."

James Jones' tyre supplier suggested running a recorded trial of a set of Michelin XZM tyres on a Liebherr timber handling machine - and it was found that, where the budget tyres had been lasting an average of 1,800 hours, the new Michelin tyres clocked up 8,000 hours.

Following the success of this first trial, James Jones has had Michelin XZM tyres fitted across the fleet of eight Liebherr timber handlers, nine forklift trucks and three side loaders.

Further results have shown that, where the budget tyres on James Jones' side loaders were lasting between 200 and 600 hours, Michelin's XZM tyres achieved up to 2,000 hours, increasing lifespan by up to ten times on some machines.

"The results have been unbelievable," says Gale. "We have hardly any punctures now, and downtime has been significantly reduced. We're saving more than we ever dreamt we would."

Michelin's XZM tyres feature a heavy-duty tread design and damage-resistant sidewalls, maximising uptime and productivity. Their radial construction absorbs shocks for enhanced vehicle protection, and their reinforced buttressed shoulders improve stability and handling. They have an extra-deep tread, which extends their lifespan and reduces operating costs.

James Jones and Sons has recently opened a further Sawmill at Lockerbie, increasing production from 100,000m3 per year to 250,000m3. The company now runs four sawmills and one engineered timber facility.

The company operates from six sites in Scotland. Its products, which include pallets, packaging and fencing, are used in the construction and agricultural industries throughout the UK.