 The new tyre compound called Exel |
Watts Urethane Products is launching a new tyre compound with environmental benefits to compete with the market leader, Vulkollan, at CeMAT this month.
Callum Robin, Watts's product manager, tells
Forkliftaction.com News that, after months of trials and tests, the tyre material is finally market ready.
"The natural colour of the material is a very bright white [but] we are adding a touch of green to make it stand out from the crowd as well as pushing on the green theme of the material," Robin says.
Although the new material, marketed as Exel, shares similar characteristics with Vulkollan, it has a shorter cure time, making it more environmentally friendly.
"Technically, the new compound would be ready in 24 hours from the moment it is cast," Robin says.
He says Vulkollan requires about six weeks' curing time, which involves a combination of hot ovens and temperature-controlled conditioning rooms. The new material "is a much greener option with no need to run hot ovens for a long period".
"The shorter cure time is a massive advantage. Companies don't have to keep large stocks of products due to the long lead-time that you associate with Vulkollan.
"Exel can increase battery life, it has a lower rolling resistance than Vulkollan and could even increase the top speed of the truck, due to how free rolling it is. It runs cooler internally compared to Vulkollan," Robin says.
Exel has a similar shore hardness of 93-95 to Vulkollan's 93-96. Both have similar wear characteristics and perform on par in cold-store conditions, Robin says. Shore hardness refers to a material's hardness. Natural rubber's shore hardness is 70. Materials have different shore hardness for different applications. Generally, the harder the material, the slower it wears.
While Exel has thrived in tests performed over 10 months in the UK, the journey was not without hiccups.
"As with all new materials, we've had a couple of trying moments but we have been able to put our years of polyurethane experience to good use and resolve them fast and efficiently," Robin says.
Watts Urethane Products, part of the tyre manufacturer Watts of Lydney Group Ltd, has processed castable polyurethane and ultrathane for more than 25 years.