Tire inventory audit: records, inventory and physical counts

Regardless of the size of your fleet, tires will always be a numerous item in the operation. That is why you need an effective means of control. Have you ever heard of a tire inventory? It may be just what your fleet needs.

After all, a fleet of 20 vehicles, counting tractor units and trailers, has on average 500 tires. If we increase our example to 100 vehicles, the tires in this operation will certainly be in the thousands.

As you surely know, tires generate high costs. So maintaining, keeping track of and controlling each one of them is something important and valuable for the manager and the operation.

Knowing the exact number of items, the location and the current condition of each one are aspects to keep track of through what is known as a tire inventory. But…

What is a tire inventory?

It follows the same concept as the inventory of any store or factory. In other words, its goal is to count, identify and classify the available items. In this case, tires.

In this context, its main function is to record each of the tires in the operation, stating their current condition and their situation (in use, for repair, in inventory, disposal, etc.).

This makes it possible to know the exact number of tires the fleet has, how many and which ones are available for replacement and also which ones should undergo some type of service or be sent for disposal.

The inventory also provides greater protection against theft and fraud, makes the operation more agile and offers management more predictability regarding the new purchases that need to be made.

Now, on to the next topic:

How do you do a tire inventory?

For the inventory to achieve its goals, it needs to be implemented with some very important points in mind:

Keep detailed records

When recording each of the tires in your inventory, include mandatory identification information, such as the fire-branded ID number, make, model, category, status and situation.

Below is a list of essential data for your tire inventory:

• Fire-branded ID number;
• Make;
• Model;
• Status (new, retreaded, refurbished, etc.);
• Situation (in use, in inventory, under repair);
• Vehicle and position where it is installed;
• Purchase date;
• Purchase amount.

Identify and organize your categories

Have you ever imagined needing a specific tire make and model and having to search through all the tires in your inventory? Without physical organization and categorization of your space, that is what happens — and it becomes a very difficult task.

So arrange your physical space into categories, according to your main needs.

It can be by make, model, type, wear condition, etc.

Use a control system

The high number of tires and, as a result, the large volume of associated information make it almost impossible to carry out this control through paper records.

You should at least have a digital control spreadsheet and update it constantly as new relocations occur. There are also specific tire management solutions, created by technology companies, that help centralize the individual control of each tire, including wear, retreading, life cycle and cost per unit.

Carry out periodic audits and counts

Even when you control your inventory digitally, it is essential to check the numbers against a physical count of your inventory. This makes it possible to find failures in the process and possible fraud in your operation.

In addition to the inventory count, maintenance inspections help keep each tire's history more reliable. In a monthly routine, it is worth focusing the check on correct pressure, tread wear and visible damage to the tire.

What else do you need for tire inventory control?

Before the tire inventory audit, you actually need to prepare the inventory area to receive the items. A very practical way to organize it is by status, such as: new, used and available for use, in need of refurbishment, and tires for disposal.

However, you can also use other categories or even subcategories. For example, you first separate by status and then by size.

Once these categories are defined, you can separate all the tires in a more consistent way.

And, of course, all items need to be identified. That is why every tire in inventory also needs to be branded with an identifying number first.

In addition to separating by status and size, take care of the conditions of the location. Tires should be stored in a clean, dry, cool and well-ventilated environment, out of direct sunlight and away from exposed, dirty, wet or poorly ventilated outdoor areas. Before storing them, clean the tires with water, detergent and an appropriate brush, wait for them to dry completely and, when it makes sense for the operation, use tightly sealed plastic packaging to reduce the evaporation of oils from the rubber compounds.

Next, it is worth having an idea of how long, on average, tires spend in inventory. This makes it possible to plan the logistics of sending tires for retreading and buying new items — in order to avoid excess inventory.

Beyond the tire inventory to achieve professional management

With today's major goal of reducing costs in freight transport, tire management has become crucial in fleets. Through it, it is possible to reduce waste, make better use of tires and make purchasing decisions with more predictability.

For this result to materialize, you need to include some tasks in your fleet routine, such as detailed records for each tire, control spreadsheets or systems, an inspection schedule, driver training, and so on.

If you want to understand even more about what you need to do for tire management that generates savings and productivity, check out our free e-book (in Portuguese)!