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.”
With large numbers of low-cost truck tyres, the development of retreading – not to mention legislative pressures and technological advances – hot topics in the truck tyre sector, Tyres & Accessories interviewed Continental Tyres’ sales and marketing director, Commercial, Arthur Gregg in order to get the well-known German tyre manufacturer’s inside perspective.
Continental AG supplying its third generation truck tyres and ContiPressureCheck to a joint pilot project between BMW Group and its logistics partner Scherm Group to promote environmentally friendly trucks. Conti is equipping a Terberg YT202-EV with 355/50 R22.5 Conti EcoPlus HS3 tyres on the steer axle; Conti EcoPlus HD3 in size 295/55 R22.5 on the drive axle; and 445/45 R19.5 Conti Hybrid HT3 trailer tyres in size on the trailer.
Continental will reach an important milestone in its research project for the industrialisation of dandelion rubber in tyre production when it tests its first WinterContact TS 850 P with a Taraxagum based tread at its Swedish testing facility. Continental unveiled its first test tyres made from the raw material (the botanical name for dandelion is taraxacum) in a limited series last autumn. The use of the material in its WinterContact TS 850 P takes Continental “an important step closer” to its long-term sustainability goals, reducing its dependence on traditional raw materials.
All key financial figures headed in the right direction during the first half of this year, and therefore tyre maker and automotive industry supplier Continental AG has upwardly revised its adjusted EBIT margin and free cash flow forecast for the full year.
Continental says it will publicly display its new ultra high performance summer tyre for the first time at September’s IAA Cars exhibition in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The tyre maker isn’t giving much away, however it shares that the SportContact 6 will provide “maximum grip, maximum control, and maximum stability” at speeds of up to 350 km/h.
The third generation of Continental’s ContiSportAttack hypersport tyre has been launched ahead of its market introduction early next year. The official ContiSportAttack 3 debut took place at the Red Bull Ring in Austria earlier this month. Former MotoGP rider Alex Hofmann was present at the event and led other launch attendees, including ContiMoto UK, as they put the new tyres through their paces on the latest BMW S1000RR.
Continental AG has announced what it is calling a voluntary tyre exchange programme (as opposed to a recall) of approximately 12,000 truck tyres. The tyre in question is a 205/75R17.5 Conti Hybrid LS3, produced from calendar week 27 in 2014 to calendar week 26 in 2015. The product was mainly sold to original equipment manufacturers in Europe and – to a lesser degree – into the replacement market. Continental stressed that there have been no reports of accidents or injuries.
Dieter Horni is stepping down as managing director of Continental Tyre South Africa (CTSA) after six years in this role, and will return to Continental’s head office in Hannover, Germany to head up the company’s Business Development portfolio for the Middle East and African region. Shaun Uys, who is currently head of marketing and sales for CTSA’s South Africa and Sub-Sahara replacement tyre business, will as of 1 August succeed Horni as managing director.
Some 3,800 ContiProContact tyres sold in the US market have been recalled due to the risk of tread separation. Continental says the recall relates to size P205/65 R15 95T XL tyres manufactured in February 2015. These replacement market products carry the Department of Transportation code VY UR 471B 0615.
Continental reports the planned early redemption of the $950 million, 4.5 per cent coupon USD bond that company subsidiary Continental Rubber of America, Corp. issued in September 2012. The redemption will now take place on 15 September 2015, four years earlier than the original maturity date, with a redemption price of 102.25 per cent.
Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded its rating for tyre and automotive systems manufacturer Continental AG, and removed the restriction that the company’s rating must remain within three notches above that given to major shareholder Schaeffler AG. This upgrade applies to both the long-term Issuer Rating and the senior unsecured ratings of Continental and its rated subsidiaries, and sees it rise from Baa3 to Baa1.
Following the signing of a multi-year agreement, Continental is now ‘official tyre’ of the USA’s largest football association, the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). The tyre maker has also become the presenting sponsor of ‘Safe Haven’, a child and volunteer safety programme that is compulsory for every registered AYSO coach, referee, administrator and volunteer helper.
In addition to its product offering, Continental sees its Continental Industrial Network as key to success in the sectory. Continental Industrial Network consists of professional industrial tyre specialists across the UK and Ireland, offering a “class leading service” for customers. Providing forklift and industrial vehicle users with greater flexibility and choice, the Continental Industrial Network […]
As a leading wholesale supplier of specialist industrial tyres to the UK materials handling sector, Kings Road Tyres (KRT) reports that it has developed a strategy of working with high quality manufacturing partners that deliver the products and technical expertise to allow KRT to service customers effectively.
The team at Auto Express recently headed to Texas to evaluate 11 European market tyres at Continental’s Uvalde proving ground. The size 225/45R17 tyres were tested against ten criteria that covered wet and dry performance, rolling resistance and comfort. The result? Continental’s ContiSportContact 5 was voted King of the Hill in the Lone Star State.
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