Heidelberger Sand und Kies GmbH trusts in Goodyear’s OTR tyres
Whether it’s mortar, screed, concrete or glass – the mineral resources of sand and gravel are used in a wide range of combinations in varied applications. The probability of having raw materials from Heidelberger Sand und Kies GmbH – a subsidiary of the world market leader HeidelbergCement Group – in your walls or floors is correspondingly high. The company produces sand and gravel products as well as mineral blends at around 70 sites around Germany. In the extraction of the key raw materials, the company trusts in GP-4D OTR tyres from Goodyear (Fig. 1), which were specially designed for use on dumpers and wheel-loaders.
Seven vehicles at the Langhagen plant in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are in operation with the radial GP- 4D OTR tyres from Goodyear. The pit area at the Langhagen site extends over several hectares. Between the extraction sites, belt conveyors snake from the heaps of raw gravel over the screens to the processing plant. Excavators or wheel loaders take the raw material away. First the raw materials are coarse-screened. Then the particles are washed to remove any clay and loam particles and rinse these away. Finally, the later building materials are rescreened and classified by particle size. In silos or on outdoor stockpiles the products are stored ready to be transported to customers.
Many industries, for example the building industry, would be unimaginable without sand and gravel. But these raw materials are also crucial as an ancillary component in the production of glass or cleaning and adhesive products. Accordingly, Heidelberger Sand und Kies GmbH supplies customers in a wide range of industries. With a stable customer base, the company has successfully held its market position for decades.
“Our customers not only profit from the high-quality of our products. They can rely on reliable and efficient logistics,” says Uwe Götz, the Manager for Northern Region. “We guarantee this with sound know-how and modern equipment. Good construction machines and the right tyres are important for a smooth process in the value-added chain.”
The core brand with regard to tyres at Heidelberger Sand und Kies is Goodyear. At present, no fewer than seven Volvo wheel loaders of the type L180F in the fleet of construction machinery at the Langhagen site are driving on the Goodyear tyres 26.5 R 25** GP-4D (Fig. 2). The long-life OTR tyres have convinced the aggregates experts thanks especially to their ruggedness and good traction. “We are very satisfied with our choice. Especially on such soft ground like sand and gravel, we can rely on the tyres,” says Operations Manager Hans-Jürgen Jeschke. “In addition we appreciate the extremely low wear on the Goodyear tyres. This way we save with every kilometre.”
No wonder, after all the GP-4D tyres were developed specially for such intensive applications. The wider and flatter tread provides excellent traction on any surface. At the same time, the 150-percent tread depth, the broad base and the rugged tread compound ensure low wear, even on extremely wear-intensive terrain. The modern low-section tyres of the 65-series not only impress with their high resistance and ruggedness. The low flank height and the wider tread guarantee improved lateral stability. In addition, the larger tread width and the lower air pressure of the 65 tyres reduce the ground pressure. This reduces the sinking depth, which results in lower fuel consumption.
The radial OTR GP-4D tyres from Goodyear are available in the following sizes:
• 20.5 R 25
• 23.5 R 25
• 26.5 R 25
• 29.5 R 25
• 775/65 R 29
• 875/65 R 29
