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.”
First Industrial Tyres (FIT) has been named as Continental Specialty Tyres’ exclusive agent for the north east of England. According to the company, this greatly supports the expansion of Continental’s premium fitting and servicing network throughout the UK and Ireland.
The Continental HT3 trailer tyre, specifically the low profile size 445/45 R 19.5 fitment, has won the tyre maker an iF Design Award. The 58-person iF Design Award judging panel voted the tyre a winner in the ‘product’ award category; the award will be presented to Continental at a ceremony held in Munich, Germany on 26 February. A Conti Hybrid HT3 445/45 R 19.5 tyre is also on display at the iF Design exhibition in Hamburg, where the judges made their decision.
Having launched at Autopromotec in May 2015, the Oak Group’s Davanti Tyres private brand has grown quickly, with the appointments of Sean Maddocks to UK and Ireland sales director, and Andrew Billingham and Andy Kent as regional sales managers. In addition to growing the management team, the brand has undergone a series of benchmarking tests for its current passenger car tyres at the large Applus+ Idiada proving ground near Barcelona, which has grown in stature since 1994 to become what is widely thought of as Europe’s premier independent facility – an opinion backed by the comparatively large number of tyre manufacturers currently testing on site.
Continental has confirmed its intention to erect a new commercial vehicle tyre factory in the USA, and while no start of construction date has been announced the company says it expects to break ground in the next few months “in cadence with market demands.” The tyre maker anticipates that in the long-term an investment of approximately US$1.4 billion will go into the project.
Indian financial daily The Economic Times reports that American private equity firm KKR & Co. L.P. has begun initial talks that may result in the sale of its 90 per cent share in off-highway tyre specialist Alliance Tire Group. The publication names Sumitomo, Continental and Michelin as potential buyers, however it notes that no confirmation of these firms’ interest has been given.
Continental Automotive Systems has reportedly admitted supplying “potentially defective air bag control units to 5 million vehicles used by Honda, Fiat Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and three other manufacturers built over a five-year period worldwide”, according to a Reuters report. Continental Automotive told the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that electronic systems built between 2006 and 2010 could fail and air bags may not deploy in a crash or may deploy without warning.
The US state of Mississippi has approved an incentive package for a US$1.45 billion tyre factory that Continental intends to build in the state. The incentives approved by the Mississippi State Legislature include providing loans of $263 million and various tax breaks. Mississippi will also assist with site acquisition and preparation work, and help with the cost of building the facility.
Hessian State Secretary Mathias Samson, opened Continental AG’s research workshop in the House of Logistics and Mobility (HOLM) in Frankfurt am Main on 2 February. The so-called “Trend Antenna” event sees students and academics work with Continental for the purpose of developing the future of mobility and research software technologies and algorithms. The event is the fourth institution of its kind at Continental, after Regensburg, Shanghai and Guadalajara (Mexico). A total of around 170 students from around 10 different disciplines work with Continental at the Trend Antennas.
Continental launched its latest light commercial winter tyre this season, the VanContact Winter, with a number of winter performance improvements. Chief among these was a substantial 15 per cent reduction in rolling resistance over the VancoWinter 2 – achieved with an advanced silica compound that reduces tyre deformation on entering the contact patch – but snow and wet braking distances were also reduced.
Continental has announced several changes within the management of its replacement truck tyre business for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. With the appointment of a sales director for truck tyres within the Truck Tires Replacement business, the company has separated the coordination of all sales activities in the EMEA region into new position. Barry Guildford has been appointed to the position.
Continental Malaysia has introduced “C3 – The ContiCasing Warranty”, which guarantees key Continental and General Tire branded truck products for three lives or up to six years. This means a new truck tyre can last up to 6 years when retreaded by Continental or one of its ContiLifeCycle partners. Should the new tyre require an […]
Continental has outgrown its headquarters in Hanover, Germany, and is in the process of identifying a suitable site to build a new, larger premises. The city of Hannover has already made Continental an offer in order to keep the tyre maker and automotive industry supplier at home there, however towns in the surrounding region are also attempting to lure the company to a new location so that they may benefit from Conti’s local business taxes.
Continental has announced plans to start production of ABS and ESC units in India in 2016. A new assembly line for ABS and ESC for passenger cars and later ABS for two-wheelers will be located in the existing Continental Automotive Brake Systems plant in Gurgaon, Haryana. Local production of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) is planned for 2018 in Bangalore.
Daniel Gainza has taken on the role of director of marketing, truck tyres EMEA at Continental Corporation. Our sister publication PneusNews.it reports that Gainza, a Spanish national, started in this position at Continental’s head office in Hannover, Germany on 1 January 2016. Prior to this latest appointment, Gainza held the position of business director for Continental’s commercial vehicle segment in Italy, a role he took on in 2007. He will continue to serve in this capacity during a transition period.
Preliminary key data published today by Continental Corporation shows that the tyre and automotive systems manufacturer enjoyed both higher turnover and adjusted EBIT margin in the 2015 fiscal year. Full year sales of around 39.2 billion euros represent a year-on-year increase of 13.6 per cent, while adjusted EBIT margin rose from 11.3 per cent for the 2014 financial year to 11.7 per cent for 2015.
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