From port logistics to training and client liaison, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is the ideal Australasian hub for tyre sealant maker OKO, who is helping commercial vehicles reduce fuel consumption and extend tyre life.
Launched in 1978, manufactured in the United Kingdom and sold in more than 100 countries, OKO’s range of tyre sealants have been rescuing road (and off-road) users for nearly half a century. The innovative solution takes the form of a liquid that is injected into the tyre, where it coats the inside wall as the wheel rotates. The inner coating reduces the tyre’s porosity, helping it to remain inflated at the correct working pressure. And any puncture is almost instantly sealed, so the vehicle need never stop.
“If you have a pneumatic tyre, then we have a product for it,” says Justin Evans, managing director of OKO New Zealand and currently launching the brand into Australia.
Tyres last longer, reducing wear and fuel consumption
OKO sealants extend the lifetime of a tyre. “Any tyre will lose air and deteriorate, particularly when not kept at the optimal pressure and temperature,” explains Justin. “Our sealants mean tyres stay cooler and remain fully inflated.”
Better tyre pressure means lower petrol costs. “OKO can reduce consumption by 3 per cent,” notes Justin, “so our product pays for itself very quickly.”
And longer tyre lifespan means that businesses send fewer old tyres to landfill. In a matched test across a hot summer period, an OKO-fitted truck ran the same routes as a non-OKO truck. The OKO truck’s tyres had on average 20 per cent less wear, and on the steer tyres the wear was 40 per cent less. This was a huge benefit to the operator, and the shedding of tyre particles (which are a known environmental pollutant) was much reduced.
Improved tyre performance can also help users reduce their carbon footprint. OKO is the only tyre sealant range to be made with ISO 14001 (Environmental), ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 45001 (Health and Safety) accreditation. It is also certified carbon-negative: it saves more carbon in operation than it generates across the entire manufacturing process and operation combined.
Auckland the ideal base
In 2020, the OKO Group established a New Zealand office in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and this is currently its hub and stock depot for all Australasia, with three sales staff representing the brand. Justin set up an Australian office in 2022 – for now he runs it from Auckland, but will set up across the Tasman in due course, mirroring the Auckland operation.
Justin cites many reasons why Auckland is the perfect base for OKO’s operations. “It’s incredible. We have the port on our doorstep. Vertical Logistics, who look after all our importing documentation, are in Takanini. Our main customers are in the city, which makes strategy so much easier. It’s simple to courier product all over the country from here, and easy for me to get around New Zealand to train the stores.”
“Plus, there’s just so much expertise in this city. When there are challenges outside my skill set, I never have to go far to find someone who can help, whether it’s logistics, communication, consulting or something else.”
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