New Radial Industrial Tyre
Continental has introduced a new radial industrial tyre, the “ConRAD HT” in size 8.25 R15. It will also be available in a “clean” version for applications such as the food industry.
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.”
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Significant Decreases For General Tire USA
Product NewsA spokesman for Continental, in answer to a question from NEUE REIFENZEITUNG, agreed that the figures from General Tire for the first half of this year are significantly less than figures for the same period last year. Continental will officially release the half year figures on August 9th.
Continental Engaged in Persia
Product NewsContinental makes her know-how available to Iranian company Kerman Tyre and Rubber Company (Tehran) for the production of truck and car tyre radials. Later Kerman will produce its own brand under this technology plus truck and car tyre radials in an offtake agreement under the Continental brand for the Middle East and Central Asia.
General Tire Recalls Truck Tyres In The USA
Product NewsIn the USA, General Tire has begun a recall of 4,750 truck tyres, produced between December 1998 and February 1999. A Continental Group spokesman pointed out that the company is not acting under any legal obligation, and the move is a precautionary one.
Successful 1999 Year for ContiTech
Product NewsThe ContiTech division of Hanover-based Continental AG experienced the most successful business year of its history in 1999, according to the company. ”The year 1999 marks a big step forward – in results, globalisation and concentration on core businesses”, was the way the year was summed up at a press conference by Manfred Wennemer, board member of Continental AG with responsibility for the ContiTech division and chairman of ContiTech Holding GmbH. In 1999 ContiTech increased its turnover to 1.72 billion Euro (previous year: 1.70 billion Euro), a plus of 0.7 p.c. This would have been about 2.5 p.c. but for changes in the contributing units,some of which were sold. Turnover per employee amounted to 112,000 Euro, approximately four per cent higher than the 107,000 Euro of 1998. In non-automotive sections the general economic situation led to some decline, but business with Europe’s car makers was approximately four per cent above the previous year’s level. The 1999 ContiTech turnover was made up about 64 p.c. in the automotive sector and 36 p.c. outside it. Operating profit (EBIT) also improved. The strong growth can be attributed, among other things, to a significant reduction in the extraordinary items and reserves for restructuring, which had depressed the 1998 result. On the contrary, the 1999 year saw one-off profits, especially from sales of individual segments. Wennemer emphasised that these positive effects on the results were caused by ContiTech’s restructuring measures. Read more in NEUE REIFENZEITUNG 5/2000.
New US-Headquarter For Continental Teves In Auburn Hills
Product NewsThe new administration building an R&D-Centre has been officially opened in September. The two storey building has 250.000 square meters and the costs were 40 million US-$. 540 employees, within weeks this number will climb up to 600, who used to work before in three different places in Detroit, are now working in the headquarter, which is located very close to the US-HQ from DaimlerChrysler. Continental Teves employs 2,100 people in North America. 32 % of its turnover of about 2.5 bn Euro are made in the US.
ContiTech and Behr
Product NewsThe ContiTech group, part of Continental AG, will cooperate on certain projects with Behr GmbH of Stuttgart, which specialises in air conditioning equipment and in engine cooling. As part of the cooperation Continental will take from Behr a 51 p.c. holding in the Kühner company (making hoses, principally for original equipment in Oppenheim). The company will be integrated into ContiTech Fluid, giving Continental the industrial leadership.
Joint-Venture Continental Teves And Nisshinbo
Product NewsContinental Teves (51%) and Diversified Japanese company Nisshinbo Industries(49%) have brought together their activities in brakes and systems around the wheel in order to supply the Japanese and Korean markets.
“Intermot” Munich – Many New Motorbike Tyres
NewsMunich’s “Intermot” has become the main fair for motorbikes, the supplying industry and for dealers involved in motorbike tyres. Although the German market for motorcycles declined by 7 % (Europe: + 7 %) in the first half of this year, once again, “more than 150,000” visitors from 84 countries (1998: 150,368 from 80 countries) came to visit the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from 13 to 17 September to find out about the products and services of 1,033 exhibitors and 56 additionally represented companies from 35 countries (1998: 836 exhibitors from 33 countries). As in the premiere event in 1998, the proportion of trade visitors was approximately 35 %, with more than a fifth of their number coming from abroad. The largest contingents of trade visitors from abroad came from within the European Union (67 %) and the rest of Europe. Visitors’ interest encompassed all areas of the fair, with the top favourites being motorised vehicles (72 %), parts and accessories for motorised two-wheelers (47 %) and clothing and rider equipment. Therefore many companies from the tyre business were among the exhibitors in Munich: Cooper-Avon, Continental, Dunlop, Metzeler/Pirelli and Michelin showed their latest products and the tyre trade was present too. And there were a lot of new tyres to discover. For example a winter tyre for scooters, or Continental’s move into the radial segment, seven new tyres from Michelin and many more premieres for the upcoming motorbike season 2001. NEUE REIFENZEITUNG reviews all the news from the show in its October issue.
New Truck Racing Tyres From Continental
Product NewsThis year, Continental is once again supplying tyres for the European Truck Racing Championship. New tyres have been developed for the front and rear axles: HSR Speed and HDR Speed.
Off-Take Agreement Between Nokian Tyres And Michelin
Product NewsNokian Tyres announced an off-take agreement with Michelin, mostly for heavy tyres but also for car tyres. A month ago, Continental also seemed to be interested, but obviously finished runners-up.
Joint Venture Between Autobytel And Continental
Product NewsTyre manufacturer Continental intends to engage itself more in the e-business arena – especially on the “B2C” (Business to Consumer) level. The company has therefore decided to begin cooperation concerning tyre distribution with “autobytel.com”, an independent US-American internet-platform which offers a complete car service to its customers covering the complete life cycle of the car. Working together with tyre retailers, a complete service package will be offered to customers. All retailers interested in this project will be given the opportunity to participate, even if they do not possess the necessary infrastructure at the moment. The two companies explained during a press conference in Frankfurt what they are going to do. Continental is initially investing about 15 million Euro, most of it for the creation of a “tyre portal”. At present the whole project exists only on paper but Continental wants to arrange the basics of this project by the end of February 2001, and the operative start is planned for autumn 2001. During the press conference, Conti CEO Kessel underlined his interests in working closely together with the professional tyre trade.
Continental To Introduce Short-Time Working
Product NewsDue to the low demand for truck tyres, Continental is to introduce short time working at three factories in Austria, Belgium and Stöcken, in Germany. The 400-strong workforce at the Stöcken plant has been divided into two, with only one half working at a time on a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off basis.
Fifty Years Of Matador – Transformation Process Concluded
Product NewsAt the beginning of May the Slovak tyre manufacturer Matador celebrated the 50th anniversary of the company. The rubber factory in Puchov continued the long tradition of the trademark, which started in Slovakia’s present capital, Bratislava, in 1905. In the thirties Matador tyres were already original equipment on all vehicles then produced in Czechoslovakia. In those days Matador’s market share in the CSR was more than 20 p.c. Building work at the Puchov factory started in 1947, and the first tyres left the new production facility three years later, on 1st May 1950. In 1953 restructuring of the Czechoslovak tyre industry took place. A new trademark was created: Barum, combining the three manufacturers Bata, Rubena and Matador. From then on the Puchov factory also produced under this brand name. After the partition of Czechoslovakia in 1993 the Barum brand was taken over by Continental. The Puchov factory, however, was not part of the deal and reverted to the old brand name Matador. Today Puchov exports more than 80 p.c. of its output under this registered trademark. The 1999 turnover of the group of companies was about 600 million DM, with the tyre activities claiming a 65 p.c. share. Investments amounted to almost 15 million DM, and 12 million DM was spent on the research and development sector. This year investments are scheduled to double. More financial resources will be directed towards sales support measures and marketing for a further improvement in market acceptance. Since January 1999 Matador has produced radial truck tyres in a production joint venture with Continental, but with the distribution of the tyres still handled separately by the two partners. In the course of an ambitious restructuring programme the Puchov factory is to be thoroughly modernised to become the largest radial truck tyre factory in Europe. Read more in NEUE REIFENZEITUNG 5/2000.
Black Figures Are General Tire’s Aim
Product NewsSales are up in the year 2000 and profits have gone like snow in the sun. That, in short, describes the present situation of Continental General Tire in North America. But red figures are not an option. Bernd Frangenberg (59) President and CEO of CGT, vigorously denied the possibility that he could be forced to inform the parent company about red figures at the end of the year. All the necessary actions have been taken to make sure that CGT remains profitable even in a difficult climate, Frangenberg declared Tyres & Accessories. Continental General Tire employs 9000 people and runs 5 factories in the US and 2 in Mexico. Last year’s turnover was about 1.5 bn Euro.
