3 retreaders pass GSA's QPL tests. (General Service Administration's Qualified Products List; of products qualified for federal and state procurement)

3 retreaders pass GSA's QPL tests

After a rocky start in which retreaders obviously weren't prepared, three tread rubber manufacturers have qualified for the General Services Administration's (GSA) Qualified Products List (QPL) test to qualify for federal and state procurement.

Oliver was the first to pass with its bias-ply light truck retreads, followed by Goodyear and Bandag in re-tests for their radial light truck retreads. In addition, Bandag is expected to have passed the medium truck/bus radial test.

However, there have been two failures in passenger car retread tests, one in bias light truck, one in radial light truck, three in bias medium truck/bus and two in radial medium truck/bus.

In some cases, retreaders provided the GSA with obvious "rejects," apparently not understanding the testing procedure.

So far none of them have applied for retesting, possibly pending meetings with government officials to learn more about the testing process and reasons for the failures.

"When you analyze all these failures it really boils down to problems at the …