A TYRE TECH REVOLUTION

KAL TIRE'S TOMS PLATFORM HAS HELPED AN AUSTRALIAN COAL MINE ACHIEVE A 38 PER CENT REDUCTION IN TYRE-RELATED DOWNTIME.

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In the push to optimise every element of mine site performance, some of the most transformative innovations are emerging from the most overlooked corners of operations.

Tyre management, long seen as a reactive, manual, and often fragmented process, is undergoing a quiet revolution. And it's not just about keeping trucks rolling.

For Kal Tire, one of the largest tyre service providers in the mining industry, it’s about embedding every tyre into a smarter, safer, and more efficient system.

In coal mining, where haul truck availability can make or break production schedules, unplanned downtime from tyre damage or missed maintenance is costly. But it’s also avoidable.

"By using AI in our tyre management system, Kal Tire helps sites plan more effectively, prioritising work based on safety and the impact to downtime," Kal Tire Mining Tire Group general manager - Australia, Wes Woodroffe, said.

"The system predicts downtime events before they happen and gives planners actionable insights without manual analysis. It’s all about smarter decisions, better scheduling and safer execution of all tyre related tasks."

Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous inspections, and integrated data platforms, Kal Tire is showing Australian sites how to move from firefighting to foresight.

Kal Tire Mining Tire Group director of business insights Mark Goode said the company is transforming tyre maintenance through digital innovation. The goal: fewer breakdowns, longer tyre life and ultimately, a more efficient mine.

"On an average site, a supervisor is managing around 400 tyres, while at some of the larger operations, that number surpasses 2000," Goode said.