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Many customers asking for a cost analysis of retreaded tires, such as how much Precured Tread Rubber and Cushion Gum are required for processing tire retreads. Now MELION’s engineers share the following data based on our experience:

Note: The above data is for your reference only, please refer to the actual processing data.

USD to RMB Exchange Rate: 6.35

The cost breakdown is for reference only, because the tire casings price and processing cost will vary from country to country.

There are two techniques for retreading:

• Hot Retreading
• Precure Retreading (Precure Retreading also called ” cold ” retreading )

“HOT” Retreading:

Hot Retreading involves the vulcanization of a tire in a mold at a temperature of around 150 °C. The tread and the sidewall veneer of the tire are made up of non-vulcanized rubber compounds. The shape and tread of the tire are created in the heating press.

Arguments in favor of hot retreading:

1. Suitable for all tire applications, including car and aircraft tires.
2. Material costs are lower than the more complex products required for precure retreading.
3. Hot retreading also allows extensive repairs to be carried out on the tire carcass (e.g. belt replacement).
4. Even bias-ply carcasses can undergo hot retreading without any problems.

Points to note:

1. A separate mould is required for each tread and size. This requires a high level of investment in a range of moulds, which will be need to be regularly updated.
2. The production process needs to be designed for large numbers of tires. This calls for a central production workshop, an extended customer area and therefore brings with it relatively high logistics costs.

“Cold”  retreading:

Pre-cure or “Cold” retreading involves vulcanization without a mould at a temperature of between 95 °C and 115 °C. The tire is put together using a pre-vulcanized tread liner (= new tread) and a non-vulcanized cushion gum layer. The bond between the carcass, the cushion gum and the precured tread is created in an autoclave. Pre-cure retreading has become fully established in the truck tires sector since the introduction of radial tires in the mid-1960s.

Arguments in favor of pre-cure retreading:

1. Less investment is required on the part of the retreading plant (no expensive moulds) and lower follow-up costs, since it is the material supplier who updates the range of moulds.
2. A wide range of tread types are available, allowing the optimum tread to be selected for the tire application.
3. The comparatively low investment costs involved mean that decentralized, smaller production units can be operated. This means lower logistics costs and makes the operator more flexible and closer to his customers.
4. The pre-cure retreading process is kind to the carcass, since vulcanization temperatures are lower and put less strain on the rubber-metal bonds in the carcass. Heat build-up in the tire, rolling resistance and other tire properties are often easier to assess than with hot retreading.
5. With comparable tread geometries, the running performance of a pre-cured retread is often better than a hot retread and the same as an equivalent new tire.

Points to note:

1. Pre-cure retreading requires high-quality carcasses.
2. Material costs are higher than hot retreading material, since the pre-cured tread is already vulcanized and is therefore a more heavily-processed product.
3. Labor costs per retread are higher than for hot-retread truck and bus tires.

The proportion of retreads on the replacement car and truck tire market in Europe still varies widely.

For car tires, retreads make up only 1-2% of the market in Switzerland and the Netherlands, but this figure rises to over 20% in Scandinavia. In Germany, retreads account for around 10% of car tires, a proportion which rises to 20% for winter tires.

For truck tires, the proportion of retreads is much higher, ranging from around 40% in Spain to over 70% in Finland. In Germany and France, retreads make up around half of the replacement tire market for trucks. Over 15 million truck and bus tires are used every year across the EU. Of these, around 8 million are new tires, and over 6 million are retreads.

Retreading plays a particularly important role in aircraft tires, which are subjected to extreme stresses. Aircraft tires have to withstand huge strain at speeds of over 250 km/h, and undergo retreading after around 150 take-off and landing manoeuvres. Retreading can take place up to twelve times. The testing procedures are naturally very stringent here, and safety takes top priority.

High-quality retreading is the alternative to new tires for commercial vehicles, since it offers safety, top running performance and an excellent cost-benefit ratio. More and more consumers are recognizing and coming to appreciate the positive image of high-quality retreads.