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.”
Hyundai Motor Group has approved three Continental tyre models for its Tucson SUV. The Tucson SUV will roll off assembly lines equipped with either the energy-efficient EcoContact 6 or the comfort-oriented PremiumContact 6. For the Asia-Pacific region, Hyundai has also approved the CrossContact LX Sport, which is designed for light off-road driving.
Publishing its latest tracker of premium European tyremakers financial fundamentals, financial analysts report that pricing is currently a headwind and raw materials a tailwind year-to-date, however, raw materials will shift to a headwind in the second-half of 2024.
As well as demonstrating “Continental’s holistic approach to tyre management…with new and existing…technologies on display”, Continental will also be presenting Uniroyal products to be promoted to RTX attendees for the first time. Developed for mixed applications, Uniroyal’s highway line provides “high mileage in both regional and long-distance transport, increasing cost-efficiency by utilising a combination of optimised tread patterns on all axles”, according to the company.
Continental is continuing to expand its cycle racing sponsorship remit. The Tour de France is set to begin on 29 June, and before then the company will step up as the official tyre partner and one of the five main sponsors of this year’s Giro d’Italia, which gets under way this coming Saturday.
Chief executive officer Nikolai Setzer set the tone for Continental’s future during the 2024 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting last Friday, emphasising the company’s pivotal role in advancing mobility technology. This year’s meeting marked a return to in-person gatherings after a five-year hiatus, with a simultaneous live stream for broader accessibility.
This month, Continental commemorates 15 years since the inception of its tyre business in Thailand and five years of tyre production at its Rayong plant. With an investment of 250 million euros in the eastern region of the country, the manufacturer has established a facility that employs 900 local workers and has annual production capacity of 4.8 million passenger and light truck tyres, alongside motorcycle tyres, and caters to both original equipment and replacement sectors.
The public prosecutor’s office in Hannover, Germany today issued Continental AG a fine totalling 100 million euros. Proceedings relate to a “negligent breach of supervisory duties” within the company’s former powertrain division in connection with the supply of engine control units and engine control unit software (including for the VW EA189 1.6l). The fine consists of 5 million euros in penalties and a 95-million-euro levy of economic benefits.
During the official launch of its fifth-generation Conti Eco truck tyre range, the team at Continental frequently touched on the subject of sustainability, addressing this as both as a desirable target for fleets and as a factor driving massive legislative change in Europe. Cost pressures were also high on the agenda. To accommodate the demands posed by both factors, Continental states its aim of finding the right balance, meeting cost targets in the most sustainable way.
For the past year or so, the latest Continental tyre lines have featured an EV-Compatible sidewall logo. Continental is now extending use of this logo to secondary brands and will include it on all newly launched passenger car and 4×4 tyre lines. The presence of the logo across Continental’s consumer range for all tiers confirms that every new tyre meets the high requirements of electric vehicles while at the same time supporting conventionally powered vehicles in driving efficiently and safely.
Continental has launched a new version of its ContiConnect Lite app. The digital tyre management software creates a bridge between tyre sensors fitted to tyres either retroactively or increasingly at the factory and certain features of digitalised tyre management. The app can now be used on tyres with an integrated Gen2 sensor. Beginning in 2024, Continental has been delivering its off-the-road (OTR) radial tyres with a Bluetooth-enabled sensor ex-factory.
Continental has presented its fifth-generation Conti Eco tyre line for freight transportation, promising to cut costs for hauliers while significantly reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in both regional and long-distance operations. With the new generation of the Conti Eco, Continental says its development experts were able to resolve the conflicting goals of optimised rolling resistance and high mileage.
At the end of January, the European Commission (EC) announced that it is had begun conducting “unannounced inspections” – commonly known as dawn raids – at the European offices of the world’s leading tyremakers. The investigation intends to find out whether or not “the inspected companies may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices”. In the days immediately after that news broke, it quickly became apparent that (in alphabetical order) Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin, Nokian and Pirelli all received those visits. All the above companies issued statements denying the allegations and confirming that they are cooperation with the authorities. The EC’s announcement was short on detail and the investigated tyremakers are being understandably tight-lipped about the whole thing, which leaves significant questions about what the grounds for such an investigation were in the first place.
Initiating detailed coverage of European tyre manufacturers, analysts at Jefferies Equities Research fated Pirelli as their top pick, followed by Continental and Michelin. “Continental is trading on the largest discount to Michelin in years and the ex-tyres business is at the lowest multiple (2x EBIT) in three years. Pirelli is at a two per cent discount to Michelin versus a premium for >90 per cent of the last three years.
Continental has been at the core of Fuller Tyres’ provision ever since it won its first contract 14 years ago. Initially supplying Continental car tyres into rental fleets at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Fuller Tyres rapidly grew its operations. Today, the tyre supply and fitment business is arguably one of the South East’s largest. Operating from sites in Guildford and Southampton, the company boasts thousands of satisfied customers from a wide array of automotive sectors.
Continental has acquired EMT s.r.o., a mould manufacturing specialist based in Puchov, Slovakia. The tyre maker and automotive technology company obtained all shares in its long-standing supplier on 2 April 2024 after entering into an agreement with EMT’s shareholders, including majority shareholder Dynamic Design Europe. Beyond confirming the retention of all 107 EMT employees, Continental has not disclosed details of the agreement.
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