Hannover-based Continental AG is a leading automotive supplier and – according to the company – is “the choice of leading car manufacturers, offering award-winning tyres that deliver responsive braking in all weather conditions.”
Continental Matador Rubber has reportedly asked Slovakia’s Ministry of Economy for tax relief measures worth 14.58 million euros. The tyre maker, who is said to be investing 130 million euros in its Puchov plant to, amongst other things, ready it for the production of low rolling resistance tyres, intends to hire 324 new workers and has asked for tax relief in the years up to 2015.
Data collected by Encircle Marketing over the 12 months between May 2010 and April 2011 suggests that the market for passenger car tyres is stable, with prices marginally up over the duration of the period. Premium brand tyres averaged £93.92 in April against £90.50 in May 2010, while the upper budget (£54.54 in April), lower budget (£50.12) and mid-range (£68.51) all experienced similar average price increases in the period. Both the premium and upper budget segments’ average prices saw a slight dip in October 2010, interrupting an otherwise slowly upwards incline.
The first 25 sizes of Kumho’s replacement for the KU19 and proven KU31 have been launched on the UK market. The Ecsta Le Sport KU39, to give it its full title, is an asymmetric ultra high performance tyre designed with Europe’s top car marques in mind, and was developed using the twin methods of the latest KADAS prediction tools and on Europe’s most demanding test tracks. The Y-speed rated product’s key selling points are its enhanced performance, braking in wet conditions and controlled ride and refinement, according to the Korean manufacturer. Its high grip tread compound delivers improved traction and braking performance, while its specially designed casing provides impressive high speed stability.
Grant Willman, who joined Continental in July 2008 as dealer support manager for the truck division’s South East region, has been promoted to the newly-created position of Retread and Brand manager within the company’s UK commercial vehicle tyres marketing team. In this role, Willman will be responsible for both developing Conti’s retread sector strategy over the coming five years. He will also take responsibility for managing the casing process to ensure, as the tyre maker says, “Continental is at the forefront of the retread market as well as developing and implementing the brand strategy for all Continental’s commercial vehicle products.”
Goodyear Tire & Rubber is reported to have filed a suit against Continental Tire the Americas and aims to block Continental, via court order, from hiring one of its former managers. According to US industry publication Tire Review, Goodyear fears the former facility manager will take the company’s trade secrets with him and share them with Continental. The suit has been lodged with the United States District Court in the Northern District of Ohio.
Back in April, Continental formally rounded up its latest round of extensions to the manufacturer’s high performance tyre range with the top-of -range ContiSportContact 5, designed for powerful sports cars in over 20 sizes; the PremiumContact 2, for compact and medium range cars upwards; the SportContact Vmax, for the customising sector and approved for speeds of up to 360 kmh (225 mph); and the EcoContact 3 for compact cars. The SportContact 5 P, launched at the end of 2009 and designed for rear-wheel drive, powerful cars, completes this list, fitting 19”-plus sizes.
Continental reports that its HD Hybrid, first released last year, has “impressively established itself” in the European transport market. The manufacturer has now also announced its availability as a ContiRe retread; the ContiRe version of the HD Hybrid is available in sizes 295/60 R 22.5, 315/60 R 22.5, 295/80 R 22.5, 315/70 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5.
Due to strong demand in both its original equipment and replacement markets, Continental reports its total passenger and light commercial vehicle tyre production this year will be around ten per cent higher than in 2010. This equals some 124 million tyres, a greater quantity than the German tyre maker has previously produced in the course of a year. Despite this, Continental states its anticipated output is “not yet sufficient to cover the predicted long-term demand completely,” and thus it has embarked on a capacity expansion programme; details of projects undertaken as part of this can be found via the links below.
UK car magazine Auto Express has suggested that fitting high-quality tyres can help to improve the value of readers’ cars, suggesting three tyres for summer and winter. The magazine awarded the Continental SportContact 3 top summer tyre, and the Goodyear UltraGrip 7+ was victorious in the cold weather tyre category. Issue 1,169 of the magazine, currently on shelves, also recommended the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 and the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric in the former category, and Conti’s WinterContact TS830 and Dunlop’s SP WinterSport 3D as cold weather alternatives. The summer tyres were tested on 18" and the cold weather products on 16" fitments.
Britain’s vehicle manufacturing industry has received welcome news from BMW, whose plan to invest £500 million in its Mini assembly plant in Oxford plus in its Swindon and Birmingham sites will safeguard some 5,000 UK jobs. The German manufacturer announced this investment during a Downing Street meeting between leading vehicle manufacturers and the Prime Minister. During the meeting, Mr. Cameron told industry representatives that “we really want to see the automotive industry flourish and we are determined to do the things to help it succeed.”
In order to meet the global trend towards tyres with a stronger ‘green’ emphasis, Continental Matador Rubber states its factory in Púchov, Slovakia is gearing up for the production of low rolling resistance tyres. This production transition is scheduled to occur in two stages, the first of which is already underway with the gradual introduction of the ContiEcoContact 5 and ContiSportContact 5 into the plant’s production mix. Continental Matador says several sizes are already in serial production at the Púchov plant and further sizes will be introduced throughout the year.
According to Continental, two new tyres it has launched “provide exactly the right answer to the diverse challenges of regional and cross-regional transport.” This assertion refers to the German manufacturer’s LSR1+ steer axle tyre and LDR1+ drive axle tyre; 17.5-inch fitments that Conti says prove their qualities in both urban and long-distance use.
On August 1 Continental AG’s Passenger & Light Truck Tires (PLT) and Commercial Vehicle Tires (CVT) divisions will be consolidated into a single unit known simply as the Tires division. This combined division will be headed up by Nikolai Setzer, who has led the PLT division since joining the company’s Executive Board in August 2009. Current CVT division head Dr. Hans-Joachim Nikolin has resigned from Continental on “highly amicable terms” and will leave the company on July 31. Conti’s Supervisory Board gave its consent for Dr. Nikolin's relinquishment of his office by mutual agreement at a meeting on June 7.
During last month’s 55th China International Trade Fair for Auto-Aftermarket (Automaintech), in Beijing, Corghi’s Artiglio 50 was awarded the best tyre changer exhibited at the show. Automaintech is the most important exhibition in China for Automotive Service Equipment and Corghi participated with its own stand, showing its most technologically advanced machines.
The first 25 sizes of Kumho’s replacement for the KU19 and proven KU31 have been launched on the UK market. The Ecsta Le Sport KU39, to give it its full title, is an asymmetric ultra high performance tyre designed with Europe’s top car marques in mind, and was developed using the twin methods of the latest KADAS prediction tools and on Europe’s most demanding test tracks. The Y-speed rated product’s key selling points are its enhanced performance, braking in wet conditions and controlled ride and refinement, according to the Korean manufacturer. Its high grip tread compound delivers improved traction and braking performance, while its specially designed casing provides impressive high speed stability.
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