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"When there's a shortage of OTR (off-road) tires, some people who wouldn't normally consider retreads are forced into them," Hoffman adds. "Then they find it saves them money. So even when the supply comes back, they tend to continue to retread some of their vehicles."

Tips for Finding a Retread Provider
Since tires are the second highest expense after fuel for most contractors, retread tires may be worth considering. But finding a professional retread company that produces quality products can take time and effort. After all, not all retreaders are alike.

If you're considering a retread program to supplement an existing new tire program, take the following steps to choose a high-quality retread vendor:

• Check reputation and references - Start by selecting retread companies that have solid reputations for their products and service, advises Pat Demianenko, Goodyear national retread business development manager. Ask the retread companies for names of customers they work with that you could call, then make sure you call them. The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau also offers a Retread Tire Buyers Guide that contains a listing of retreaders, visit www.retread.org.
• Interview their salespeople - Once you identify potential retread providers, talk with the sales staff. "Are they knowledgeable about their business, their products and the services they offer?" asks Demianenko. "Do they give straightforward answers to your questions regarding turnaround time, retread tire tracking and pricing?"
• Visit retread facilities - Look to see if the employees are dressed in uniforms and look neat, says Demianenko. Do they seem enthused about what they're doing and talk about quality? Does the plant manager show you the plant and discuss the facility and the process? Does he have the right attitude and is he eager to show you what they're doing? Does the whole facility look good, including the service department and warehouse?
• Evaluate service - Ask about turnaround times to deliver tire retreads. According to Demianenko, acceptable turnaround is no more than seven days.Ask if the retreader offers a mounted wheel program that could save time and increase productivity when replacing tires. Does the facility offer 24-hour service? Is the retreader part of a larger network regionally or nationwide? Does the facility offer emergency road service? By aligning with a major tire maker's retread program, customers receive consistent pricing of retreads at dealer locations and access to retread plants across the country, in addition to access to an emergency services network.
• Evaluate the condition of the retreads - Do the tires look brand new and free of chips and flaws? Demianenko suggests asking about rejection rates and the reasons for rejecting the retread. "Plants should have that information and be willing to share it with a potential customer," he says. Does the retread firm have quality casings to sell? What warranties are available for casings and retreads? The warranty should cover the life of the casing and retread, or retread alone if the customer is supplying casings.
• Retread process choices - Does the retread facility have a variety of retread processes? How many different treads are available?
• Information technology - Inquire about the retread company's information technology. Find out if the facility has computerized information about a customer's tires and whether the customer has access to it, Demianenko advises. "If a fleet does its homework, the chances of finding a quality retread firm increase dramatically," he adds. "The payoff is quality tires available at affordable prices."