Conti Gains OE Strength

Continental has strengthened its position as one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of original equipment tyres for passenger cars, claiming that one in four new cars leave the factory on Continental rubber. The international vehicle industry supplier can now boast a market share of 26 per cent.

The company ranks number four worldwide in the tyre business with vehicle manufacturers, says Conti, holding a 20 per cent market share in the NAFTA countries alone. In 2004 the manufacturer boosted volume sales to the global automobile industry by 12 per cent, and posted another five per cent gain in the first six months of 2005.

Around 41 million passenger tyres were supplied by the company worldwide last year. The Hanover-based manufacturer is currently producing tyres for compact vehicles, sedans, vans and all-wheel-driven SUVs. “Approvals are not easy to get from the vehicle industry”, emphasizes Dr Andreas Esser, who is in charge of Continental’s passenger tyre OE business worldwide. “The all-round properties of the tyres need to be exceptionally good. This is why highly intensive testing takes place prior to each approval. And the fact that approvals are granted to Continental by virtually all the European vehicle manufacturers is evidence that we’re satisfying those stringent requirements.”

“Fitment as an OE tyre is also a good recommendation for the aftermarket, and thanks to these partnerships with the automobile manufacturers, our engineering expertise and our products are kept at the highest standard”, concluded Esser.