The offer of services linked to the product is one of the most interesting trends within the tyre industry, especially when considering tyres for professional use: the cost per kilometer concept is already a standard within the road haulage industry. The same model is now developing within the agro industry too.
According to the Provana Group, an agro tyre-related offer of services should be based on both a data analysis and an integrated supply chain. It should connect all players, starting from the tyre/machinery producer up to the final user, taking into account tyre distributors, dealers and sellers as well. We talked about these topics with Agostino Provana, founder of the holding of services “Provana Group” located in Izano (CR), which offers specialised consultancy within the agricultural sector, especially when considering the tyre usage.
In fact, the latest news is a 360° consultancy offer: taking into account a bimonthly fee, the Provana Group chooses, monitors and “rents” the most suitable tyre according to the usage. Farmers do not have to worry about the tyre management anymore.
Is the sales proposal of the Provana Group the first one in the agricultural world which considers other aspects aside from the product?
I think so because our sales solution is the result of years of work, analysis and research about the importance of tyres when dealing with running costs of agricultural machineries. The constant interaction with key players of the industry gives us the insight that the market asks for a 360° solution. In other words, the market asks for a consultant who is able to manage all tyres.
In fact, in my opinion, we have just opened a Pandora’s box, this is because the tyre within the agricultural industry influences the fuel consumption, and, as a consequence, the overall costs. The importance of the tyre when dealing with the total costs of agricultural machineries is considerable, since its affects fuel consumption in a significant way: the consumption could be of tens of thousands of euros during the whole life cycle of the tyre. In other words, every tractor can present a hourly cost which varies significantly and the tyre could be seen either as an advantage or disadvantage.
The first step is the choice of the most suitable tyre. What parameters do we need to consider?
Both the choice and the usage of the tyre when dealing with agricultural machineries is a complex and strategical evalutation, for which it is necessary to have specific competencies, which the farmer does not have. In some cases event the tyre dealer is not competent enough.
Choosing the right expert to find the most suitable tyre according to usage is fundamental, because today’s market offers a broad range of brands and models, all linked to different price segments. If we want to find the right solution for a customer, who could be a farmer, a contractor or a tractor dealer, we need to take into account important parameters from an economic point of view, such as the running cost and the hourly cost of tyres.
Focusing on the tyre size as an unique choice parameter is not sufficient and could also be a problem. A good salesman has to be able to interact with the customer to understand which product – among the ones with the same sizes – is most suitable for the usage.
Is the market both aware and ready for these ideas or some training is needed?
The agricultural machineries tyre industry is becoming increasingly aware of these ideas and it is changing accordingly. In this phase all players – so producers, distributors, tyre dealers, tractor dealers and final users – need proper training, because the tyre is not considered a mere product anymore. It is now considered a service with the running cost as a fundamental parameter.
The question is: who will be trained properly? Will it be the case of the tyre dealer? Or the tractor dealer? Will it be the case of the customer since contractors now have some internal staff represented by tyre fitters, electricians and mechanics? It is necessary to know which direction the market will follow, what is certain is that there currently is a marked phase of change.
Could we now say that the Provana Group is currently aware of these concepts and it is ready to transfer it to other players thanks to both a consultancy and training offer?
This is the result of years of experience, work and analysis carried by the Provana Group, a holding of services which offers specialised consultancy within the agricultural field, especially when considering tyres. We have been working along with tyre producers from all over the world for years and now we are aware of the different needs of contractors and farmers: they search for a 360° professional consultancy, starting from the tyre choice up to the monitoring of products.
Today the Provana Group not only helps the agro users in choosing the most performing tyre according to the type of usage, the purchase price, the duration and the fuel consumption, but it also monitors the tyre during its entire life cycle. Thanks to the constant monitoring carried out with TPMS systems, which show the correct pressure and the minimum fuel consumption in every situation, the workshop of Provana constantly monitors the tyre and gives users the opportunity to obtain the best possible hourly cost, which is a fundamental variable of the total running cost of the agricultural machinery. Among the monitored parameters the following ones are crucial: rolling circumference and mechanical lead, rolling resistance, load, pressure and tyre dimensions.
Could you describe us your test portfolio?
Provana is starting to focus on market tests among different contractors. These tests are particularly valuable for final users.
The product tests instead are useful for tyre producers in order to verify the work of their R&D departments and are conducted by the Provana Group on its track in Izano, both on the road and in the field, with a focus on performances of brand-new tyres in specific conditions; the type of usage is considered as well.
We need to consider tyre performances when the product is introduced to the market. We have been monitoring ten tractors equipped with different brands of tyres and sensors, these devices are necessary to measure the components of the Hourly Cost effectively. These tests not only require assistance in the initial phase, but also need a continuous monitoring over time; this is a service which big contractors and fleets ask more and more frequently. The trend we are experiencing is similar to the one of the road haulage fleet: today even the farm wants to delegate the monitoring of the tyre performance, so this task becomes a service. The cost of this service is repaid by the savings in terms of fuel consumption, which are linked to the continuous monitoring of the correct tyre pressure.
Are you already able to offer a fee-based service?
Yes, this service is the answer to customers’ needs, this formula is already a reality for some contractors in the northern part of Italy. After an analysis of the type of operations and the usage of the machinery, we propose a bi-monthly fee based on the Hourly Cost for each tyre. This solution is available for both tractors and trailers. There are also customers which purchase tyres and then ask us to measure the fuel consumption and the tyre wear.
Is the tyre monitoring a tool which could be used for maintenance?
The planning of the maintenance of agro machineries linked to TPMS/connectivity systems is fundamental to avoid or reduce to the minimum machine downtimes, which are quite expensive. In fact, different tyre dimensions, different brands and different technical characteristics along with different rims result in a H24 service which is ever more difficult to offer.
The evolution of agro TPMS connectivity will give us the opportunity to control and plan the maintenance with the avoidance of damages and the optimisation of tyre wear, fuel consumption and mechanical components. As a consequence it is necessary to always develop new and innovative technical solutions prototypes linked to the complete wheel system.
Do you even offer training courses?
Today training courses are fundamental, they represent a part of our range of services. They could be organised for producers, distributors, salesmen, contractors and final users. Since the market is experiencing a phase of marked change and it is evolving accordingly, training is an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. We feel there is a strong training need at all levels, so we can offer as a “super partes business” an ad-hoc training. In addition to that, we are also currently organising our next “Agri Day” annual event to talk about our projects.
What is the main advantage of the cost per kilometer?
It is an innovative project within the agricultural field, which requires competence, use of technology, monitoring and in person 6-month checks of fleets. The main advantage is represented by the offer of the right choice of products, which are still owned by Provana, and by the guaranteed perfomances through a fee payment system. Thanks to this concept we are able to offer the right solution for each type of application. The tyre offered is the right one for each fleet need.
Today significant data and technology is available, but a key player who is able to analyse all information and put it into practice is missing. To sum up, this service is what is needed to close the circle. Provana Group can solve these issues by offering new services.
(translation of the article on the following website: Pneusnews.it – Link)