BKT tires keep the port of Strasbourg moving
Strasbourg, France – Rhine Europe Terminals (RET), a subsidiary of the Port Autonome de Strasbourg, is a central hub for French intermodal transport and European freight transport as a whole. Located in Strasbourg, France, the RET terminals connect and facilitate the movement of goods between the North Sea—via routes from cities such as Rotterdam and Antwerp—and the markets of southern Germany, France, and Switzerland. It is a critical infrastructure and a major European transport corridor that handles over half a million cargo operations annually, positioning itself as a key player in multimodal transport committed to actively contributing to more sustainable and responsible logistics.
The partnership between RET and BKT began in 2019 when after an initial testing stage, the solutions by Balkrishna Industries Ltd., the leading multinational Off Highway tire manufacturer, were progressively introduced across an ever-expanding fleet in light of the excellent quality results achieved in terms of both stability and service life.
“After the first tests carried out on one piece of equipment, we have gradually introduced PORTMAX PM 90 on a large fleet of reach stackers to further test the tire’s stability, overall product durability, and performance at our two terminals in order to compare different application conditions. The results were excellent, leading us to choose BKT as a partner for our daily operations,” commented Stephane Rick, Technical Manager at Rhine Europe Terminals.
Compared to other similar solutions, PORTMAX PM 90—in addition to being specifically designed for heavy-duty industrial handling applications—stood out for its ability to provide low rolling resistance, which contributes to significantly improved fuel efficiency as well as excellent safety and good cornering grip. “A long service life was another essential factor for us, which is vital for the proper functioning of a container terminal from both a technical and economic viewpoint. BKT was able to fully meet this need,” added Stephane. As a matter of fact, durability and a long service life are key features of PORTMAX PM 90 resulting in lower hourly operating costs and overall economic benefits due to reduced maintenance and less downtime.
In such challenging operating environments, tires are subjected to a high level of stress, particularly when making sharp turns, especially with a 30-ton load, in presence of obstacles, or on sometimes uneven surfaces. It is in this situation that BKT’s reliability and quality stand out significantly, as Michael Felix, team leader at the Port of Strasbourg confirms: “We’ve noticed that even in very tight spaces, BKT tires ensure a high level of maneuverability, and this is a major advantage for our operations. Stability is also remarkable; especially during container loading at maximum height, we’ve noticed that PORTMAX PM 90 provides the equipment with excellent stability, instilling safety and confidence in our operators.”
Ports are highly challenging and demanding environments, where equipment is employed in complex applications and operations, such as lifting, reversing, tight turns, and frequent stop-and-go cycles. Equipment like reach stackers has no suspension, and tires are their only connection to the ground. This means they have a huge impact on overall performance, timing, safety, and the vehicle’s general operation. For this reason, on-site presence and support are two of the fundamental pillars of BKT’s corporate mission, aimed at supporting end-users throughout the entire product lifecycle.
“Through regular tire fleet inspections, we closely monitor wear rates and identify early signs of uneven wear, damage, or fatigue, allowing corrective actions to be taken at the right time,” commented Bruno Santos, OTR Field Engineer at BKT Europe. “Based on these insights, scheduled tire rotations help balance usage across axles, extending service life, while careful pressure monitoring ensures stability, optimal load capacity, and reduced rolling resistance—ultimately contributing to improved fuel efficiency.”Overall, these activities help protect the investment in both tires and machinery, while supporting smooth, safe, and uninterrupted port operations.
BKT is constantly engaged in the research and development of innovative tires designed to push performance to ever-higher levels. These tangible and measurable improvements, as seen with the PORTMAX PM 90, make BKT tires increasingly reliable solutions, even in complex operating conditions such as those typical of port environments.