Founded in 1990, Kelvin Baxter Transport is a family-owned and operated business located in Berrigan, New South Wales, which operates one of Australia’s most versatile and capable heavy transport fleets.
With more than 300 trailer combinations including B-doubles, road trains, B-triples, AB-triples and Performance-Based Standards (PBS) road trains, the company specialises in agricultural commodities.
“We operate in markets throughout the east coast with drivers spanning from Brisbane to Melbourne,” says Kelvin Baxter Transport founder, Kel Baxter. “We cover a wide variety of operations for the national grain traders and large corporate horticultural farms, and we also transport a lot of fertiliser, lime and gypsum to farmers all over the grain growing areas.”
Despite having success with traditional Japanese-manufactured tyres, Kelvin Baxter Transport was looking for improved mileage and cost efficiency. Especially since it operates a very extensive fleet throughout mixed application routes like bitumen, dirt and gravel.
“We were using were a skinnier full ribbed tyre and were experiencing step-down wear and diagonal wear across the fleet, mostly around the inside edge of the tyres,” Kel says.
After receiving expert advice from Paul Barrett at Pat Barrett’s Tyre Service, Kelvin Baxter Transport approached Treadcare and conducted a trial of the Apollo EnduRace RT2 trailer tyre on three of its road trains.
“We started off by putting two of the Apollo tyres on one corner of a trailer and two on another,” Kel says. “We did the same thing on another trailer.
“Then, we put the other tyres we were using on the back right-hand side of another trailer, and after running them, swapped them around. That was when we saw our mileage was increasing with the Apollo ones.”
The Apollo EnduRace RT2 trailer tyre outperformed Kelvin Baxter Transport’s expectations by achieving an average of between 160,000 and 180,000 kilometres compared to the previous 130,000-160,000 figure it was getting. This improvement significantly reduced the fleet’s cents per kilometre (CPK) rate while maintaining durability and handling performance across all road types.
The fleet has now been using the EnduRace RT2 for more than two years, and with more than 4,000 units in operation, the product is transforming its operations.
“We have well over 2,000 Apollo tyres hitting the road at any one stage,” Kel says. “They’re performing really well. We’re getting up to 20,000 kilometres more on each tyre now.”
In the span of two years, the investment has translated to majorly improved tyre life and substantially decreased maintenance.
“We were previously taking both edges of our tyres off while there was still plenty of tread left in the middle,” Kel explains. “But the Apollo tyre has a bigger, wider shoulder which seems to be much more durable. Instead of spinning our tyres three times, we’re now spinning them once
“That’s less downtime for the operator, less maintenance for our workshop and much more profit for the fleet.”
The Apollo EnduRace RT2 stands out in the market as a high-quality trailer tyre engineered for Australian conditions. Designed to meet the demanding operations of Australia’s freight and logistics industry, it delivers exceptional mileage, durability and cost efficiency for fleet owners and operators as seen at Kelvin Baxter Transport.
The product features a uniform wear tread design which ensures consistent performance throughout its life, resulting in superior mileage and extended service intervals. Its pseudo six-rib tread pattern also maximises the rubber available for wear, noticeably enhancing tyre life while maintaining stable on-road performance.
Built with a superior casing construction, the Apollo EnduRace RT2 offers enhanced resistance to punctures and impact damage, delivering prolonged durability and excellent retreadability. This robust design supports multiple life cycles, making it a sustainable and economical choice for fleets focused on maximising asset value.
In addition, precisely positioned tie bars in the centre groove control tread deformation under load, contributing to lower rolling resistance and improved fuel efficiency. This is a critical advantage for long-haul and high-utilisation trailer operations. Complementing this, wider shoulder blocks deliver excellent scrub resistance and minimise slippage, making the tyre highly suitable for frequent turning, reversing and yard manoeuvres.
According to Treadcare, the Apollo EnduRace RT2 provides the best-in-class CPK compared to major brands.
“The Apollo EnduRace RT2 is a trailer tyre which provides heavy vehicle operators with many financial and operational benefits in their applications,” says Treadcare General Manager, Shoubhik Lahiri.
The Apollo EnduRace RT2 trailer tyre also features high-quality materials, advanced tread engineering and a robust casing design. To combat harsh road environments, integrated stone protectors effectively reduce stone trapping, helping to prevent casing damage and improving overall tyre durability. Meanwhile, a distinctively engineered ply shape and cavity design ensures uniform pressure distribution across the footprint, promoting even wear and improved structural integrity.
Further to this, it’s bolstered by Treadcare and its extremely dependable aftersales support which customers can rely on.
“Treadcare do stand behind their product,” Kel says. “We’re probably one of their biggest trailer users in Australia, and Treadcare is always happy to help with anything we need.”
