Page 48 - The Tyreman 2020 - 3
P. 48
international news
Falken Tyres on Liverpool FC Team Bus
Safety and durability are paramount when select- ing tyres to carry such precious cargo. In a typical season, the Liverpool FC team bus can rack up 100,000km, travelling as far as Barcelona, Munich, Paris and Porto, as well as the domestic games that see the coach heading up and down the country. The possibility of a breakdown or turning up late for the match would be - pany that has carried the Liverpool team since the 60s.
Founded in the 1920s by the current Director's grandfa- ther, St Helens-based coach operator Ellisons has a rep- utation for quality and service. Its 12.9l Irizar I8 used by Liverpool FC players is rigorously maintained and shod in by Protyre and supplied in the UK by Micheldever Tyre Services.
ride for players’ post-match and also makes life easier for so much so that one of our older operators is still able to mount Falkens with ease in his late 50s. With the polished rims and TPMS found on these luxury coaches, having a tyre that is simple to mount is one less thing to worry about.”
Andreas Giese, Senior Manager, Corporate and Product Planning at Falken Tyre Europe GmbH, explains some of - tional stability, stable braking on wet, dry or snow-covered roads, as well as high traction. Like all our new patterns our 4D NANO simulation technology. For example, it was able to identify how and where heat would be generated and how to minimise it in a commercial vehicle tyre. This is crucial as temperature build up results in higher rolling resistance, which ultimately reduces fuel economy. This coach carries one of the most precious ‘cargos’, and it’s therefore essential that tyres can be trusted to perform all season and in all conditions.”
- ted to the Liverpool FC coach, which is one of Ellisons’ League teams alongside 50 luxury Mercedes MPVs and cars. During this time, it has experienced no tyre failures.
“This is a longer bus and weighing nearly 20 tonnes, it’s heavy, particularly at the rear, but it always feels stable,” adds Ellisons’ Mike Ludden, one of two experienced driv- ers entrusted with piloting the LFC coach. “We’ve had no issues with the Falkens. So much so we’ve also now also opted for Falken’s All Season van tyre for some of our
48 the tyreman 2020/3
