Conti to Supply General Lines to Canadian Tire

Continental Tire North America announced a business relationship with mega-retailer Canadian Tire, which will take on two new General tyre lines later this year. The products will be unique to Canadian Tire, CTNA officials said, and will provide coverage for some 70 per cent of the prevailing passenger tyre market in Canada.

CTNA said the deal is “one of the largest agreements in the history of both corporations.” The deal covers some 464 Canadian Tire locations from coast to coast. “As the country’s leading automotive retailer, and given our status as Canada’s tyre experts, we are excited to add these innovative tyres from CTNA to our broad assortment of national brand tyres,” said Tony Kuczynski, vice president of Canadian Tire. “Continental has shown a true commitment to the General brand with the introduction of several new and exciting product lines, and we’re happy to bring two of these lines into our stores.”

“This is a major strategic advance for the General brand in Canada,” said Andreas Gerstenberger, CTNA’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. ”It provides us a balanced channel strategy, while increasing our footprint in the Canadian marketplace, while allowing us to reach a greater number of Canadian consumers through one of Canada’s most trusted retailers. We are a world leader in many automotive technologies, and this partnership contributes to our strong foundation for growth in the Canadian retail tyre market.” (Tire Review/Akron)