On Monday, December 2, 2024, Pagacz Defence Group launched the production of wheel inserts at its Bydgoszcz facility under a license from the British company RunFlat International. This marks the next phase of collaboration between the two companies. The letter of intent to initiate production was signed over a year ago, on September 6, 2023, during the 31st International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO 2023 in Kielce.
The modern production equipment purchased by Pagacz Defence Group includes, among others, the machinery shown in the photo: the Haas UMC-1000SS 5-axis machining center and the Haas VF-3SSYT 3-axis milling machine. / Photos by: Przemysław Gurgurewicz
So far, as part of its collaboration with the British company, Pagacz Defence Group has received complete wheels equipped with such inserts, which were installed in, among others, 27 Hardun heavy wheeled evacuation and technical rescue vehicles. Now, only semi-finished products—castings made of a special polymer material—will be shipped from the UK to Poland. These will undergo machining locally, along with the production of other components necessary for assembly, such as screws, bushings, pins, and washers. The final assembly of the inserts into wheels will also be carried out on-site. To support this process, Pagacz Defence Group has purchased modern production equipment, including a Haas UMC-1000SS 5-axis machining center, a Haas VF-3SSYT 3-axis milling machine, and a Doosan Lynx 2600SY lathe equipped with a feeder and Fanuc control system. The machining of the delivered polymer semi-finished products is carried out using the Haas VF-3SSYT milling machine. The other listed components will be manufactured using the Doosan Lynx 2600SY lathe. Meanwhile, the Haas UMC-1000SS machining center enables operations on wheel rims to adapt them to customer requirements, such as for the installation of a central tire inflation system.
Only semi-finished products—castings made of a special polymer material—are shipped from the United Kingdom to Poland
The agreement with RunFlat International stipulates that Pagacz Defence Group can register the inserts it produces as its own product within the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation (NSPA) system. The Polish company will also be able to supply this product to the European Union market as well as certain third markets.
From a domestic perspective, launching the production of inserts in Bydgoszcz enables Polish customers to become independent from importing similar inserts from abroad. In collaboration with rim and tire manufacturers, Pagacz Defence Group aims to fulfill comprehensive orders for such equipped wheels for military vehicles, as well as vehicles used by other uniformed services, such as the Border Guard and the Police.
A partially machined casting placed inside the Haas VF-3SSYT milling machine
Currently, Polish military vehicles use both the discussed British inserts and those from the American company Hutchinson. Having a complete production and assembly cycle within the country will significantly reduce the time required to fulfill orders for the Polish defense industry, as well as for servicing tires equipped with inserts. Pagacz Defence Group plans to offer a 48-hour service, meaning repairs of damaged wheels within two days of a reported need will be carried out domestically. This solution will help maintain a high operational readiness of military vehicles without requiring the use of in-house reserves or enduring long wait times for the repair of damaged wheels.
Finished inserts from the production line are delivered to the assembly hall
The requirement to use this type of insert applies to many vehicles newly entering service with the Polish military. In addition to the previously mentioned Hardun, they are also installed in heavy Jelcz C882.62 semi-trailer trucks, which are part of the Jak heavy vehicle transport sets, the Jelcz P882.57 chassis-based Homar-K multi-launch rocket systems, armored vehicles such as Waran and Heron, as well as vehicles included in the Wisła and Narew air defense missile systems. Altogether, this involves hundreds of vehicles for which thousands of wheels will need to be supplied.
Inserts prepared for assembly, along with tires and rims, which will form a complete wheel.
The RunFlat system inserts manufactured in Bydgoszcz are specialized polymer inserts mounted to the wheel rims inside the tire. While the tires are inflated, the insert has no adverse impact on vehicle handling. In the event of a loss of tire pressure, it prevents excessive deformation of the tire, allowing the driver to maintain control of the vehicle and continue driving to a safe location away from danger. These inserts meet the requirements of the FINABEL A.20.A-20.A.5 standard, which means they ensure the following performance on paved roads:
- 3 km at a maximum escape speed of 90 km/h;
- an additional 22 km at 50 km/h;
- a further 75 km at 25 km/h.
The assembly hall is where the process of mounting the bearing inserts onto the rim takes place
When driving off-road, they allow for continued operation for up to 2 hours at a speed of 30 km/h. The driving and load-bearing properties of wheels equipped with inserts must remain intact after being fired upon with 7.62 mm caliber bullets from a distance of 50 meters (5 hits to the sidewall, 2 hits to the tread).
For single-piece rims, the dynamic system (Dynamic System) is used. It consists of 2 or 3 segments bolted together around the wheel rim. When the tire is fully inflated, these components remain in a fixed position on the rim. In the event of a puncture and loss of tire pressure, the RunFlat segments slide inside the damaged tire in the opposite direction of the wheel’s rotation, allowing for compensation of rotational speeds on both sides of the axle. This enables continued driving with one or even several damaged wheels for a distance of up to 100 km.
The mounting of the bearing insert on the rim takes place inside the tire, where the individual segments are bolted together to form a complete unit.
The static system (Static System) is designed for multi-piece rims and tubeless tires. The insert consists of three segments tightly bolted around the wheel rim. Due to its patented profile, it serves as a tire lock, known as a “Beadlock.” These components remain stationary relative to the rim, keeping the tire in place regardless of whether it is inflated or not. This system is primarily intended for use in military vehicles operating on both paved roads and off-road terrain. Depending on the terrain conditions, it allows driving on punctured tires for distances ranging from 50 to 100 km.
Placing the tire on the rim completes the process of preparing the wheel with the bearing insert
The RunFlat International system is easy to install in a very short time without the need for expensive specialized tools or presses. This allows for its replacement even in field conditions. At the same time, the system is very safe for the operators, as assembling its components does not require placing hands inside the mounted wheel.
RunFlat International inserts are manufactured in a variety of sizes to fit wheels of different dimensions.
Due to their design and the material used, RunFlat inserts are lightweight. The static system is approximately 20% lighter compared to equivalent products made of rubber. For further weight reduction, heavy multi-piece wheels and rubber components can be replaced with single-piece wheels equipped with the dynamic system.
The polymer used is specifically engineered to provide high resistance to gunfire. It has energy-absorbing properties, does not shred upon impact, and has the ability to partially seal bullet holes.
Examples of vehicles equipped with RunFlat International inserts / Photo: Pagacz Defence Group
The licensor, British company RunFlat International, was founded in 2001 as a subsidiary of Westley Plastics. The goal of the new entity was to focus on developing run-flat wheel insert systems. Since then, the company has become one of the leading manufacturers of these systems, as well as a supplier of wheels for vehicles used in the military and security sectors. Primarily targeting the armored vehicle market, the company offers a full range of wheels and inserts. Its products meet military standards set by organizations such as FINABEL and NATO, as well as the national standards of end users. They have been tested for ballistic resistance, vehicle traction control, and the distance a vehicle can travel with one, two, or all tires damaged. The reliability of these solutions has already been proven in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where they received very high praise.
