Suffolk-based haulier Bartrums has signed a full-service contract with Michelin’s Connected Solutions division, citing the manufacturer’s commitment to sustainable, quality products and service as the primary driver behind the decision. The move away from a premium competitor has already delivered measurable results: in the first 11 months operating under a full Michelin tyre policy incorporating retreaded tyres, Bartrums has saved an estimated 55.7 tonnes of CO2.
Headquartered in Eye, Suffolk, Bartrums operates a mixed fleet of more than 450 wheeled assets, predominantly Volvo and Mercedes-Benz tractor units alongside curtainside trailers and bulk tippers, the latter frequently transporting malted barley. The company serves more than 500 customers across a comprehensive range of logistics services including general and bulk haulage, with proximity to the Port of Felixstowe generating additional demand.
Image: Michelin
Tremayne Johnson, Operations Director at Bartrums, said: “As a busy operator running a mixed fleet serving more than 500 customers, the stability and surety of cost that we get through the Michelin-managed contract is very important to us. We like the product itself and have faith in the rubber, and Michelin’s four-lives policy, which maximises the life of each tyre, complements our own sustainability efforts.”
Bartrums makes full use of Michelin’s multi-life strategy, which sees worn tyres regrooved once the tread depth reaches between 3mm and 4mm, extending each tyre’s working life whilst keeping it in its most fuel-efficient state. Once those regrooved fitments have worn, they are retreaded at the Michelin Remix plant in Stoke — a process that requires around 50kg less raw material than a new tyre, doubles the casing lifespan and supports UK manufacturing. When the time comes, the retreaded tyres can be regrooved again, completing a four-lives cycle that significantly reduces waste and resource consumption.
The tyre mix across the fleet includes MICHELIN X Multi Z/Z2 and X Multi D Remix tyres at 315/70 R22.5 on the tractor units; MICHELIN X Multi T and X Multi T Remix at 385/65 R22.5 for general haulage trailers; and MICHELIN X Works T and XZY3 Remix fitments at 385/65 R22.5 for the bulk tipping fleet. Day-to-day tyre management and daily checks are carried out by service provider Tructyre, with Bartrums supported at a territory level by Nathan Williamson, Territory Business Manager at Michelin.
Bartrums’ sustainability ambitions extend well beyond tyre policy. The company already operates a Volvo FH Electric on bulk tipping work, and this month welcomes two new Mercedes-Benz 4×2 eActros 600 trucks with ProCabins to the fleet. To support the new arrivals, Bartrums recently installed a 400kW high-power charging system from Voltempo, backed by the government’s Depot Charging Scheme. The system features dual CCS2 connectors, dedicated HGV charging bays and charge monitoring, and has been designed with scalability in mind for future fleet expansion.
Image: Michelin
The incoming eActros 600 vehicles will be fitted with 385/55 R22.5 MICHELIN X Line Energy F tyres on the front axles and 315/70 R22.5 MICHELIN X Multi Energy D2 tyres at the rear, both chosen for their low rolling-resistance properties — an important consideration for maximising range and efficiency on electric heavy goods vehicles.
Beyond its fleet operations, Bartrums offers a quarter of a million square feet of warehousing across four facilities, a figure set to grow following the recent acquisition of ten acres of development land earmarked for expansion in 2027. The business holds membership of both Pallet Track and The Hazchem Network, providing access to two full UK palletised distribution networks, and operates an in-house workshop serving both its own fleet and external customers.
Multiple rooftop solar panel projects are currently under way across the company’s sites, delivered in partnership with West Suffolk Council, further reinforcing a sustainability agenda that now runs from tyre policy and alternative fuels through to on-site energy generation. With the Michelin contract providing cost stability and a clear framework for reducing its environmental footprint, Bartrums is well positioned to make further progress towards its long-term sustainability targets.
