Self-Powered Pump maintains optimal truck tire pressure.

Press Release Summary:



MICHELIN Auto Inflate, powered by Halo, utilizes automatic tire inflation technology to maintain optimal pressure on drive and trailer tires. As retrofit for existing vehicles or add-on to new equipment, wheel-mounted tire management device works with duals and wide-base single tires to reduce tire-related downtime events, extend tire life, improve fuel economy, and increase safety. Self-powered pump mounts to hub in 10 min using standard tools; axle drilling is not required.



Original Press Release:



MICHELIN Auto Inflate Answers Complex Problem of Maintaining Optimal Tire Inflation Pressure on Commercial Trucks



Simple Device to Deliver Savings and Reduction in Downtime Events



GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Michelin Americas Truck Tires, a division of Michelin North America, Inc., has introduced MICHELIN Auto Inflate, powered by Halo. MICHELIN Auto Inflate is an easy, wheel-mounted tire-management solution that allows fleets to automatically maintain optimal tire pressure. Leaky valve stems, extreme temperature changes and human error can all lead to underinflated tires and that results in costly downtime. MICHELIN Auto Inflate, powered by Halo in association with Aperia Technologies, Inc. ("Aperia"), can save fleets an estimated $2,400 per tractor-trailer annually(1) by reducing tire-related downtime events, extending tire life, improving fuel economy and increasing safety.



"MICHELIN Auto Inflate is simple, reliable and good for business," said Adam Murphy, vice president of marketing for Michelin Americas Truck Tires. "Due to a number of complicated factors that cause tire pressures to change day-to-day and hour-to-hour, maintaining optimal tire pressure is nearly impossible to achieve manually.  MICHELIN Auto Inflate, using Aperia's Halo device, provides an immediate payback for one of fleets' biggest assets by eliminating complexity and automatically managing air pressure in the tires that keep their trucks rolling."



"Michelin and Aperia chose to collaborate on MICHELIN Auto Inflate because of our mutual commitment to bring innovative products and service solutions to fleets with the goal of maximizing uptime," said Josh Carter, chief executive officer of Aperia. "MICHELIN Auto Inflate, powered by Halo, provides fleets the first simple, reliable, full-vehicle solution to the complex problem of optimal tire pressure management."



MICHELIN Auto Inflate utilizes automatic tire inflation technology to maintain the pressure on drive and trailer tires. Easy to retrofit on existing vehicles or as an add-on to new equipment, the device works with both duals and wide-base single tires.  The compact, self-powered pump can be mounted to the hub in 10 minutes using standard tools, no axle drilling required(2). With each wheel rotation, the device monitors and adjusts for low air pressure.



Virtually maintenance-free, the device can be factory-set to a specified target tire pressure.  MICHELIN Auto Inflate is easily transferable to another vehicle. To sign up for MICHELIN Auto Inflate or for more information, call toll free 1-844-319-4AIR (1-844-319-4247), email michelin.autoinflate@us.michelin.com or visit www.michelintruck.com/autoinflate.



(1 )FMCSA Presentation:  FMCSA Tire Pressure Monitoring Field Operational Test Results presentation to ATA T&MC, 2/22/12; FMCSA Report: Advanced Sensors and Applications:  Commercial Motor Vehicle Tire Pressure Monitoring and Maintenance; Two large and long tests run by Aperia - one in US and one in Australia.



(2. )Internal Aperia testing with 2 experienced installer and 1 novice installer. Avg. installation time was 4 minutes and 44 seconds.



About Aperia Technologies

Aperia Technologies is the leading provider of easy to retrofit automatic tire inflation systems capable of serving both tractors and trailers.  Aperia was founded in 2010 to commercialize the Halo Tire Inflation Technology spun out of Stanford University. Its Halo Tire Inflator is a versatile, self-powered, bolt-on inflation technology that uses a wheel's rotation to maintain optimal tire pressure in dual and wide-base single tires on drive and trailer axles used on trucks, tractors, trailers and buses. Aperia is focused on making transportation more efficient, safer and better for the environment through clean technology innovation.  For more information, visit www.aperiatech.com.



About Michelin North America

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelinman.com) employs more than 22,750 and operates 20 major manufacturing plants. To learn more about truck tires and services, visit www.michelintruck.com.



CONTACT: Media - Mary Ann Kotlarich, Michelin North America, 864.458.4884

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