AKRON, Ohio, July 24, 2009 — A leading U.S. tire retreader, Heintschel Tire & Service Inc., is converting its commercial truck tire retreading operation to Goodyear’s pre-cure and patented UniCircle® retreading processes at its retreading plant.

“We feel Goodyear offers customers products that help provide fleets and truck operators the cradle-to-grave tire solutions they want,” said Garry Heintschel, vice president and co-owner of Heintschel Tire.  “That’s why we decided to make the move to Goodyear.  We feel Goodyear is moving in the same direction that we need to go and at the speed in which we need to respond to our customers.  

“The industry has changed significantly in the last few years,” Heintschel added.  “More truck fleets and operators are now looking for tire dealers that can offer them new and retreaded tire product and service packages.  When they purchase new tires with innovative compounds and tread designs, they’re demanding that the retreads offer them comparable performance so that they can get the maximum value from their original tire casings.”

Pat Demianenko, national sales manager for Goodyear Retread Systems, said Goodyear is pleased to have Heintschel Tire as an authorized Goodyear retreader.  “Heintschel Tire has a strong reputation among its customers and its peers as a leading tire retreader that’s committed to producing quality products and supporting them with great service,” Demianenko said.  Heintschel Tire earned the prestigious “Best in Show” award at the 2003 World Tire Expo as a result of its dedication to excellence in retreading.  Plus, Heintschel Tire consistently earns a place on Modern Tire Dealer Magazine’s annual list of Top 100 Retreaders.

Heintschel Tire operates a 20,000 square-foot commercial truck tire retreading plant with three production chambers and a 15,000 square-foot warehouse, all under one roof in Texarkana, TX.  It will be producing retreaded medium-duty and heavy-duty truck tires using the Goodyear UniCircle and pre-cure retreading processes.

UniCircle features a seamless construction in which the tread section is molded into one circular piece and stretched over the buffed casing.  To create the tread, a precise amount of non-vulcanized rubber is placed into a mold and is then cured in a chamber for a specific time at a designated temperature and pressure.  The pre-cure process features a section of vulcanized tread rubber that is firmly bonded to a buffed casing and then placed in a curing chamber where the tread becomes securely adhered to the tire. 

Heintschel Tire also has a retail commercial tire location in Texarkana and a tire distribution and fleet service center in Rockwall, Texas, where it offers a variety of new commercial tires under several brands, including Goodyear, Dunlop and Kelly.  The retreading plant currently retreads about 120 truck tires per day, and plans to increase production as customers become more familiar with Goodyear retreads.

“Goodyear was the first tire manufacturer in the industry to really adopt a cradle-to-grave standard,” Heintschel said.  “And recently, the company has added new tire treads and compounds that meet the specific needs of truck operators in different applications.”

Heintschel Tires serves a variety of fleets and truck operators involved in long haul and regional haul applications, in addition to vocational applications such as mining and logging.  The company is managed by Garry and Amanda Heintschel.

The company is particularly excited about being able to offer customers retreading for new Goodyear tires that incorporate Goodyear’s Fuel Max Technology and Goodyear’s DuraSeal Technology.  Fuel Max Technology is an innovative compound that helps reduce rolling resistance and provides many fleets improved fuel economy of up to 4 percent.*   DuraSeal Technology is the world’s first built-in tire sealant for commercial truck applications.  A gel-like rubber compound instantly seals punctures up to 1/4-inch in diameter in the repairable area of the tread.  It does not seal sidewall punctures.

Goodyear has the new Goodyear G661 HSA and G662 RSA tires, which address the needs of multiple urban and regional applications such as city delivery, beverage, emergency vehicles and buses.  The new regional tires offer deeper tread depths, enhanced tread designs and scrub-resistant compounds to help maximize tire life.

“Our joining Goodyear as an authorized retreader is the right move at the right time,” Heintschel said.  “We feel that with the technology and innovation that Goodyear has to offer in new and retreaded tires, coupled with the attention and resources our company commits to quality retreading, it’s a win/win scenario for both of us.  Together, we’ll offer customers the products and services that meet their application-specific needs today, tomorrow and into the future.”

Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems offers products and services to the trucking industry, including a full range of original equipment and replacement tires and retreads.  In addition, the company offers FleetHQ business solutions to fleets of all sizes.  This includes the 24/7 FleetHQ Solution Center , national programs, tire management tools, on-line information access and business problem-solving for tomorrow’s trucking fleets.  For more information on Goodyear’s commercial tire capabilities, go to http://www.goodyear.com/truck.

*See details at www.goodyear.com/truck/technology/sae.html.