Bandvulc Citymaster 5 tyres, ContiPressureCheck support EcoDriven sustainability tour

Project will champion sustainable solutions and grow awareness amongst the public with a retrofitted tour bus visiting more than 20 towns and cities across the UK

The EcoDriven bus outside the ContiLifeCycle retreading facility in Ivybridge, Devon (Photo: Continental)

Continental Tyres and its retread brand Bandvulc are partnering with EcoDriven to support the environmental product promoter’s UK-wide Sustainability Showcase tour in 2024. The year-long programme championing sustainable solutions aims to the public to consider their environmental impact. The message will be delivered from a classic double-decker bus retrofitted with sustainable materials to demonstrate their effectiveness throughout its journey. Continental will supply its Bandvulc Citymaster 5 bus tyres and ContiPressureCheck TPMS system, both products that demonstrate its focus on sustainability. The tyre manufacturer and technology supplier wants to be ‘the most environmentally progressive tyre company’ with retreads, tyre maintenance and waste recycling all part of its strategy.

EcoDriven’s bus are fitted with the latest example of Bandvulc’s cutting-edge retreading technology. The Citymaster 5 retread tyre is engineered for reliability, durability and safety, featuring extra sidewall reinforcement. Strengthened sidewalls are particularly fitting for bus tyres navigating busy urban areas, protecting against kerbing damage from frequent stops.

The tyre features a dimple indicator, moulded into the sidewall rubber in three places. This allows operators and technicians to easily see when a tyre has been ‘scrubbed’ enough to begin compromising its performance and should be considered for a change. The Citymaster 5 is made with a high polymer rubber compound, which has been designed to resist punctures and withstand the punishment of start-stop use.

ContiPressureCheck sensors will be fitted to the tyres for active tyre monitoring (Photo: Continental)

Continental’s ContiPressureCheck tyre pressure monitoring system will also assist in ensuring the tyres are maintained and replaced when necessary. An in-cab display will provide the driver with real-time tyre pressure and temperature information, alerting them to a possible puncture or damaged tyre.

Both of these methods of tyre management demonstrate Continental’s close work with customers to maximise tyre life and fuel economy. It also provides a range of low-rolling resistance tyres to assist operators in reducing fuel consumption.

Retreading is a key part of Continental’s strategy too. It has invested heavily in retread tyre manufacturing through its ContiLifeCycle programme, which is spearheaded by the Ivybridge retreading facility. The ContiLifeCycle plant in Ivybridge – the Bandvulc facility it acquired in 2016 – operates a zero to landfill policy, with all waste recycled or incinerated. Buffing dust, an unused by-product of the retreading process, is used in a variety of applications, such as in playground matting, equestrian arenas and in athletic equipment. Retreading extends the useful life of suitable tyre casings and reduces the amount of raw materials needed to produce a ready-to-fit tyre.

Continental partnership ‘a real eye-opener’ for EcoDriven

Pete Robb, marketing director at Continental Tyres, said: “Across our business, we strive to deliver sustainable innovation. This ranges from our Bandvulc commercial vehicle retreads, which can save around 30kg of rubber, 20kg of steel and 68 litres of oil compared to a new tyre, through to our new UltraContact NTX car tyre that uses up to 65 per cent recycled and renewable materials in its construction. It’s for this reason that we’re proud to be working with the EcoDriven team as they embark on their UK tour. We look forward to following their progress and trust that both the tyres and ContiPressureCheck system will help the team to achieve their project.”

John Patterson, managing director of EcoDriven, said: “Partnering up with Continental and their Bandvulc brand has been a real eye-opener. When we started our mission to showcase our sustainable materials and how we use them, we never realised how much progress had been made in rubber tyre recycling. Visiting the factory in Ivybridge truly demonstrated why innovation is crucial in achieving sustainability.

“Continental and Bandvulc embody an entire ecosystem of sustainability in all operational areas – something all companies should strive for. I couldn’t be more excited to have them as a partner in every stage of EcoDriven’s UK tour.”

Bandvulc CityMaster 5 (Photo: Continental)