Vehicle Inspection Systems has announced a new pay per use program developed for the tire industry. The pay per use model is being introduced after extensive research and testing.
The model allows the VIS-Polish, the go-to machine for automated wheel polishing, to be placed in a tire industry business like powder coating facilities, retread locations and commercial tire locations. Tire dealers and related businesses can pay on a pay per use basis. This makes the VIS-Polish a more accessible product. The VIS-Polish is no longer a capital expenditure decision, but an operation decision with no major capital expense.
The VIS-Polish has both sanding and polishing cycles for rims 19.5-24.5 inches. With the tire on or off, the machine polishes and reveals hidden damage such as cracks between the bolt holes.
“When safety is the number one wheel end consideration, this new business model will allow tire dealers to offer a complete wheel end solution to their customers,” Mark Keegans, VIS vice president, said.
Fleets are asking more and more for their tire dealers to start maintaining their aluminum wheels, not for cosmetic reasons, but primarily for safety. Aluminum wheel inspections that cannot be done visually with road weary wheels can now be assessed for road worthiness. VIS has also developed a process specifically designed for fleet carriers that are not looking for show-quality rims; but will provide safety, boost fleet aesthetics, maximize vehicle resale value and improve driver satisfaction. With several tire dealers now adopting the new fleet process, it is now being made available across North America.
“We are excited to launch this new opportunity for the tire industry,” Keegans said. “We have been successfully testing our existing process as well as developing a new process strictly for fleet customers with great results. One of the comments we continue to hear over and over is ‘you guys have thought of everything’. With minimal upfront costs tire dealers can now offer complete wheel end solutions; specifically, aluminium wheel maintenance which for many is not being offered at the moment. The early adopters of this new program are enjoying the minimal upfront investment and the rewards are high.”
VIS is the OEM of the equipment and has developed business systems to support utilization. Not only does VIS build and design the VIS-Polish, but we install and service it over the life of the machine. VIS is also the manufacturer of the consumables required to run the equipment. After using 3rd party consumables for the VIS-Polish, VIS now manufactures the consumables required to run the equipment. VIS consumables are the best products for the VIS robotic wheel polisher.
“We are actively engaged in reviewing additional tire dealer locations to build this new program for fleets. We only succeed if our partners in the tire industry are polishing wheels, so it’s a win-win if you are the right fit,” Mark said.
