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 AG has launched the Conti EcoRegional truck tyre range in Germany. According to the company, the new line-up “enables fleet operators to use their vehicles efficiently in regional traffic”. Reduced fuel consumption and increased mileage are said to be benefits. However, Tyres & Accessories understands that the EcoRegional range is not due to be launched in the UK until at least mid-2021.
Over the past 12 months, Continental upgraded its agricultural tyre range with very high flexion (VF) tyres and other technological improvements, such as the single filament bead core on its CombineMaster. These improvements have made the manufacturer’s agri range more versatile, safer on the road, and more efficiencient in the field; VF tyres help to reduce soil compaction, which helps to promote increased yields. Conti re-entered the high-value agricultural tyre market in 2017 with the radial Tractor70 and Tractor85 ranges, with portfolio expansions following in the years since. This year has yielded many significant challenges for the tyre sector – but agricultural tyres have provided a much less gloomy segment outlook than others. Tyrepress asked Ivonne Bierwirth, global head of marketing Commercial Specialty Tyres, about the Continental business unit’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and how it has affected both its agricultural tyre activities and those of other commercial specialist tyre segments.
Tyrepress has published its 2020 ranking of the world’s top tyre manufacturers. Our ranking lists the top 20 tyre makers ordered by turnover from tyres in the previous calendar year. For example, Continental turned over nearly 45 billion euros in 2019, but 26.4 per cent of this was from its tyre divisions, making it the fourth largest tyre manufacturer in the world with 11.7 billion euros. The ranking presents a baseline for discussing the relative positions of the largest global players in tyre production. In 2019, we noted that Bridgestone had opened up a gap at the top of our ranking, around 2.65 billion euros ahead of second-placed Michelin in tyre turnover. This year, the French giant has reduced this gap to just over half a billion euros, reflecting its most recent acquisitions.
Following the launch of its diagnostic system in late June, at the start of July, across the Atlantic Continental introduced two new Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) tools designed to help shops optimize their investment in TPMS and tyre service. With the Autodiagnos TPMS D and SE Tools, professional technicians can handle all of the TPMS and tyre service requirements of their customers.
Continental has introduced a new tool in the to help streamline vehicle diagnosis. Launched in the USA, the Continental Autodiagnos Pro Automotive Diagnostic System has been specially designed to help automotive technicians analyze, diagnose, and repair vehicles faster. The new scan tool can be used to service all makes and is being updated continuously as vehicles evolve.
Continental has merged its passenger and truck tyres replacement businesses in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Philipp von Hirschheydt, former head of the passenger tyres replacement business in the EMEA region, leads the new business unit. This transformation started on 1 January, 2020, becoming effective on 1 July, 2020. Conti states that it has merged the businesses to “increase customer centricity while increasing the overall efficiency of the organisations.” In making this organisational change, Conti has shifted its structure to align with customer groups rather than product categories.
Fowler Welch has extended its long-running tyre fitment and management contract with Continental Tyres subsidiary and retread specialist Bandvulc. Continental and Bandvulc tyres will be specified across the entire Fowler Welch fleet of 450 Euro 6 trucks and 750 temperature-controlled trailer units for a further three years, continuing the relationship between the companies, who have worked together since 2011.
Continental has announced the reorganisation of various global specialist tyre activities into a single ‘Specialty Tyres’ business unit. Formed on 1 July, the company has combined its ‘Commercial Specialty Tires’, ‘Two Wheel Tires’ and ‘Hoosier Racing Tire’ business areas under the new umbrella unit. The result of the reorganisation means the entire Continental speciality tyre business will be developed, manufactured and distributed worldwide under the new unit. It brings together tyres for material handling, the agricultural, port, and construction sectors, bicycle and motorcycle tyres, and tyres for racing. The move continues the evolution of various specialist tyre segments within the company, begun at the start of 2013, when Conti renamed its industrial tyres business ‘Commercial Specialty Tires’.
Frank Petznick (49) will take over the management of Continental AG’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business unit and become a member of the Management Board of the Autonomous Mobility and Safety business area on 1 August 2020.
On Wednesday (July 1, 2020), the public prosecutor and Police searched various Continental locations in Hanover, Frankfurt and Regensburg. The searches are related to investigations into the so-called defeat device used by Volkswagen in its diesel engine emissions management system.
First, analysts warned in mid-May that Conti’s R&D budgets and European tyre factories could face cuts. Then the Hannover-based tyremaker responded by saying it is “intensively” monitoring European tyre demand and production. By June the CEO was warning staff of job cuts. Nevertheless, despite such clear challenges facing the wider automotive industry and beyond, the company is still advancing innovative solutions to the very complex problem. Colleagues at our German sister-publication, Neue Reifenzeitung, which can be found online at reifenpresse.de, found that the so-called “Corona bridge” concept is at the forefront of Conti’s work to address the adverse conditions and save jobs.
Continental has been recognised for its bicycle tyres manufactured with dandelion rubber with a brace of design awards. The Urban Taraxagum has won the prestigious Red Dot Design award, and the E-Bike Design & Innovation Award in the Sustainability & Green category by Focus E-Bike magazine. The two awards recognised different aspects of the tyre. The Red Dot Award lauded the design of the tread of the tyre, based on the cell shape of the dandelion. Meanwhile Focus E-Bike commended the sustainability of rubber extraction from dandelions.
Michelin CEO Florent Menegaux has suggested about further collaboration with fellow leading tyre manufacturer and automotive supplier Continental. The French and German companies have cooperated on the Eurofit wheel business since the 1990s and entered into the Rubberway supply chain joint venture in September 2019.
Continental has released a new combine harvester tyre, its first with a single filament bead core. In order to make the tyre safer and reduce slippage on the wheel, the manufacturer has designed a new bead construction for the the CombineMaster. In addition to road safety, reducing slippage also helps to reduce soil compaction – one of the most important considerations for agricultural tyre suppliers. By reducing compaction, the new tyre helps to protect the fissures in the soil that promote healthy growth. This increases the yield potential in the field. The tyre is the latest in Conti’s line of “Master” agricultural products. Conti has recently developed its agricultural tyre business with a 10-year guarantee and very high flexion (VF) fitment options.
Continental has become the first tyre manufacturer to offer commercial tyre technicians the chance to gain and renew their REACT licence online via the ContiAcademy.
The new online offering has been set up to ensure technicians working across the UK can remain up to date with REACT (Roadside Emergency Action Concerning Technicians) licencing, despite restrictions on public interaction ongoing in light of Covid-19.
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