Latest Conti Industrial Range Offers Longer Working Life

Continental’s Industrial Tyres business unit has released its successor to the IC80 and ConRad HT tyres. Called the ContiRT20 Performance, the pneumatic radial is designed to move extremely heavy loads at speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph).

The specifications listed in the tyre’s development were extremely demanding, comments Continental; in several criteria the ContiRT20 Performance had to meet higher requirements than those expected of the ConRad HT and Conrad. Yet, the manufacturer reports, with approximately the same tread depth and similar dimensions, up to 30 per cent greater life expectancy has been achieved with the new tyre.

“The good traction characteristics of the ContiRT20 Performance are immediately obvious from the tread pattern design,” notes Conti in a statement. “The tyre also fulfils greater demands in terms of even wear and suspension characteristics, without making compromises in stationary stability or protection against stone trapping.

Reporting on the tyre’s design phase, Continental says developers and testing engineers alike took into account the heavy stress such a product is subjected to when used in the wood, steel or cement industry, in shipyards, logistics centres, or in air- and seaports in both indoor and outdoor applications. Testing on the new product, including comparing its performance with that of competing products, began in September 2008 and Continental states that the ContiRT20 Performance “scored one point after another” across a wide range of tests.

“The characteristics of the ContiRT20 Performance meet customer expectations across the board,” declared Continental. “The tread depth, for example, was increased to the maximum to ensure the longest possible service life, even under arduous conditions. The tread pattern design, featuring wide grooves, guarantees reliable traction at all times on both surfaced and unsurfaced ground. Rolling resistance was substantially reduced to ensure low energy consumption, without adversely affecting driving comfort. The ContiRT20 has high performance reserves, which make it a very reliable tyre.”

The first size available in the ContiRT20 Performance range is 12.00 R 20. As of April the line-up will be made available in a total of 13 sizes (both standard and low ratio) and Conti adds that further sizes may follow, depending on an evaluation of demand.