Biodegradable wheel nut indicators launched

Haulage wheel safety solution company Checkpoint has pioneered product innovation in its range of internationally renowned wheel nut indicators by making them fully biodegradable and therefore better for the planet.

Striving to achieve environmental sustainability across multiple vehicular industries, Checkpoint spent two short years, in a laboratory, testing and re-testing components that would make the company’s product range completely biodegradable, whilst maintaining the quality of manufacturing that is synonymous with Checkpoint.

Selling 17 million products per year to over 65 countries globally, the company estimates that by the end of 2021 all of its products produced will be the newly innovated version called Bio-Checkpoint.

The now biodegradable wheel nut indicators remain at the forefront of the market for premium quality, and continue to be available in any colour, personalised to match each individual customer’s signage and livery.

Commenting on the company’s sustainable invention, CEO Mike Marczynski said: “30 years ago, we were pioneers of the world’s first loose nut indicators, and now we are continuing to lead the vehicular industry sectors by re-launching our already recyclable Checkpoint products as biodegradable – this is a landmark moment for us, our clients and the industry.

“We have always had visual safety and preventative maintenance at the core of our business, and for some time now, we have wanted to do better for the environment and today marks our commitment to do that globally.”

Checkpoint has absorbed the total cost of this investment within the business. Marczynski continues: “With 200 tonnes of plastic sold each year alone by Checkpoint, we couldn’t sit back and watch, we had to do something about it. It’s on us as a business and we won’t be passing this cost onto our customers in any way.”

The Bio-Checkpoint’s key benefits include:

• An instant visual indicator of wheel-nut movement
• Indicates possible faults with brakes or bearings through melting or distorting
• Supports fleet safety checks
• Cost effective and easy to implement
• Fully recyclable
• Now fully biodegradable

Checkpoint was the first-ever product of its kind on the global market to provide an indication of wheel nut movement on commercial vehicles. This clever solution helps to ensure that every truck driver and fleet operator can carry out quick and easy visual checks and audits on their vehicle wheels. Its application has since been introduced to a wide range of sectors in order to provide a solution to loose nuts on plant structures, rail tracks etc.

The Checkpoint visually indicates nut movement. By placing the Checkpoints in a recognisable pattern such as point to point, any movement of the nut is clearly visible at a glance. This assists the visual inspection of wheel nuts, identifying when a nut loosens, to prevent the wheel from coming off. It also melts at a specific temperature to highlight any overheating issues with the wheel or equipment.