MINING TYRES
Brisbane , Australia . In 2016 Kal Tire acquired the service business part of Klinge but it retained its IT specialty including its famous Total Tyre Control ( TTC ) tyre management software business and OTR tyre service training arm – it continued operating and was successfully trading when it was then acquired in 2018 by Michelin .
So how has becoming part of Michelin changed Klinge ' s journey ? Al Klinge told IM : “ It ’ s meant some changes but not in the ways we operate , develop or support our services and clients . The acquisition established that the brand & culture of KLINGE required both protection and independence to thrive . This pragmatic approach has meant synergies like the TTC / MEMS integration was undertaken like any other software integration between two companies , meaning if it wasn ’ t valuable and practical for our clients we wouldn ’ t do it .”
TTC has been around in some form since 1981 and in that time has been updated , migrated , expanded and integrated numerous times . The most recent functionality however is the integrated tyre movement features used in the MEMS4 integration . This greatly reduces the data input required for both systems which saves time , increases data quality and streamlines tasks for the teams on the ground .
KLINGE has been exporting its software since the 1990s and has an established footprint outside of Australia with 43 countries and counting . Its go to market remains direct , plus user support and training is key to clients getting the most value from their investment . “ KLINGE software ’ s scalability and features means users bundle or utilise it as part of their own services for their customers , and we have various manufacturers , contract miners , tyre dealers & service providers utilising TTC & TTC Web in this way .”
But are mining customers also now more savvy about their tyre operations in terms of achieving maximum life and efficiency ? “ For now , yes , but there is a growing skills shortage . The miners that have the most mature knowledge and effective programs are finding their key tyre people fast approaching retirement and being replaced by younger reliability engineer types . You ’ d think this would be great but we don ’ t see many engineers excited to manage tyres , which can lead to strained or incomplete knowledge transfers eventually impacting tyre operations . Anticipating this we developed our Virtual Tyre Advisor service to mentor & support mines as proven experts detached and independent of mine tyre service providers and suppliers . Feedback from our clients has been promising in addressing this growing issue .”
Safety remains the KLINGE priority with OTR tyres . “ Before optimising productivity ensuring the people who service the tyres and rims are working safely should be the goal . KLINGE consultants use our proprietary software TyreARM™ to carry out tyre safety audits for mines & tyre services providers , we originally developed this during our time as tyre service providers ( as we did with TTC ) and today it continues to evolve . ESG is a growing area and I am glad it is , it ’ s obvious that industry are excited to learn and watch as OTR tyre recycling gains momentum and proves itself .”
TTC has been around in some form since 1981 and in that time has been updated , migrated , expanded and integrated numerous times . The most recent functionality however is the integrated tyre movement features used in the MEMS4 integration . This greatly reduces the data input required for both systems which saves time , increases data quality and streamlines tasks for the teams on the ground .
Finally on centralised tyre monitoring , Klinge added : “ As IROCs and similar setups have grown to master various areas , tyres have been patiently waiting for their turn in the spotlight . We have been ready for a long time and are excited to see this beginning to shift , we are ready for the jump when the miners are .”
enTIRE – an independent and innovative approach
IM also caught up with Mark Fernie - Managing Director of Vehicle Management Corporation Pty Ltd and the Marketing Director and Founder of