PHILADELPHIA (March 19)—Oliver Rubber Co., a member of the Cooper Tire Group, has won a 10-year contract to retread all the U.S. Postal Service's tires nationwide, according to the company.
Oliver will utilize its approximately 150-160 independent dealers across the U.S. to fulfill the contract, using both its moldcure and precure technologies, according to Phil Boarts, Oliver director of sales and marketing for retread products. Boarts said there was no exact dollar amount attached to the contract at this time. "The Postal Service at this time uses retreads on only about 20 percent of its fleet, and it wants to increase that to 70 percent," he said.
While retread industry representatives still are concerned a single national contract may hurt local and regional retreaders not affiliated with the contract winner, they said they are convinced of the USPS officials' professionalism and good will. "They say their goal is to increase their retread use substantially, and all I can say is, 'God bless them,' " said Becky MacDicken, government affairs director for the Tire Industry Association. "I wish that every government official I met was as dedicated as these guys," added Harvey Brodsky, managing director of the Tire Retread Information Bureau.
The USPS, Brodsky added, has asked the help of TRIB and TIA in promoting the use of retreads among its 191 vehicle maintenance facilities. Oliver, Boarts added, is counting on TRIB and TIA's aid with the contract, in training activities and other areas.