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.”
Dick Rozeboom has recently changed to a new job with Continental Group BV in Barneveld, Holland. According to an official statement released by the company in order to announce the news, Rozeboom takes on his new role with immediate effect in a move designed to strengthen the company’s sales and distribution in the area.
Bridgestone may remain as the world’s most valuable tyre brand, according to new brand valuation research by Brand Finance, but there are actually four tyre brands in the top 500 list.
The annual Brand Finance Global 500 showed that while Bridgestone suffered some slippage from 2012 and Michelin gained some ground, the Japanese tyremaker’s lead brand retained its top spot. Bridgestone placed 254th overall on the global rankings, down from 2012 placement at 235th. The brand was valued at $4.5 billion, up slightly from 2012’s $4.4 billion valuation, earning a brand rating of AA-.
Noting the present wide ranging diversity of fitments in the current 4×4/SUV market, Stapleton’s notes that the opportunities open to the retailer present a challenge in requiring a wide breadth of stock to meet increasingly specialised demand. While retailers can expect the usual range of premium brand tyres in this segment from the wholesaler, it says there has been a particular focus in this segment on providing a variety of lower-priced private brands.
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, the US-based plant that produces some 250,000 Subaru and Toyota vehicles each year, has named three tyre makers as recipients of its annual Quality & Delivery awards. At an awards ceremony on 13 March, the company presented awards to 33 parts suppliers, including Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and Continental Tire the Americas.
At Continental’s annual press conference on 7 March, CEO Dr. Elmar Degenhart described the company’s 2012 performance as “the best results in Continental’s 124 year history.” He reiterated that last year’s annual profit of almost 1.9 billion euros equals 9.24 euros a share, compared with 6.21 euros in 2011. Therefore, Dr. Degenhart shared, Continental’s management intends to propose to the company’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on 15 May that a dividend of 2.25 euros per share be paid out for fiscal 2012. “As in the previous year, out intention here is for our shareholders to participate directly in the company’s success,” he added. “In addition to the dividend, our shareholders also benefit from the extremely positive share price performance – with an increase of 82 per cent in fiscal 2012 alone. As such, our shares displayed the highest price increase of any of the DAX companies. It is fair to say that an investment in Continental shares paid off handsomely in 2012.”
Automotive supplier Continental has already conducted trials with a ‘driverless car’ in the US, and now the firm will further its work in this field through a research partnership with the BMW Group. Under this arrangement, the two German companies will pool their development capacities to define the long-term prerequisites for introducing highly automated driving on European motorways.
Mitas has debuted its Super Flexion Tyre (SFT) at SIMA, the international agricultural exhibition, in Paris. Mitas SFT tyres are made for high-horsepower tractors (>180 hp). Mitas has been selling American-made SFT tyres in North America since summer 2012. The SFT tyre on display at SIMA has been manufactured in Europe.
Michelin’s Energy Saver + in size 185/60 R15 H has topped the latest ADAC and Stiftung Warentest Sommerreifentest ahead of 28 other tyres in two sizes. The top mark in the other size, 225/45 R17 W/Y, was shared by Continental’s SportContact 5 and Goodyear’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2. In total 16 out of the 29 tyres achieved a score between 1.6 and 2.5, indicating a “good” rating. The tests, designed to examine performance on small and medium family cars, were performed on a Volkswagen Polo in the smaller size and on the Skoda Octavia. The full test results will be published in the March 2013 edition of the ADAC.
Continental’s Specialty Tires business unit has added an eco-friendly product, LifeCycle, to its portfolio. The solid rubber tyre is retreaded upon selected used casings, the utilisation of which is said to lead to considerable savings in energy raw materials used in the production process, and this lowers product price. “With customers’ help this large-scale recycling initiative will help to bring down the number of scrap tyres needing disposal as well as the emission of climate-changing CO2,” shared Continental in a written statement. “Continental LifeCycle protects nature and offers cost savings.”
A significant milestone in the construction of Continental Tire the Americas’ Sumter plant in South Carolina was reached with the securing of the final beam of the million square foot (93,000 square metre) greenfield plant’s basic structure on 19 February. The tyre maker celebrated the achievement with an event attended by local and state dignitaries, who were given the opportunity to see construction progress first-hand. It is now eleven months since the groundbreaking ceremony at the 330 (134 hectare) acre site was held.
The recently-launched Yokohama Advan Sport V105 will enjoy its public debut at this year’s International Auto Salon in Geneva, Switzerland. The new tyre will be displayed at the Yokohama Rubber stand fitted to a Mercedes-Benz SL, a car the tyre maker describes as “just the kind of premium vehicle the new Advan Sport V105 was designed for.” An emphasis will placed on the tyre’s stability, which Yokohama says matches that of predecessor tyre the V103 in the super high speed range, plus its improved wet and dry surface and braking performance. In addition to the SL, the Advan Sport V105 MO is fitted as original equipment on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, B-Class, C-Class, SLK-Class, and CLS-Class.
For those of you who missed evo’s recent winter tyre test, Continental wishes to point out that its ContiWinterContact TS850 came out on top. Eight size 205/55R16 winter and all-season tyres – and one Continental summer tyre – were jointly evaluated by evo tester John Barker and testers from Auto Express. Evo found the TS850 to be “responsive, stable and predictable in all scenarios” and said “winter tyres come no more capable or reassuring that this.”
First Industrial Tyres Ltd (FIT) has opened its fifth distribution depot. FIT, which was founded in 2010 by Edward Woolley, has opened the depot in Newbury, Berkshire with a view to serving the south and west of England. Prior to his latest venture, Edward Wooley was managing director of Mobile Industrial Tyres Ltd and Watts Industrial Tyre Services Ltd.
West Midlands tyre dealer Truck Tyre Solutions (TTS) reports securing a contract with one of the UK’s leading steel hauliers to supply Continental tyres as exclusive tyre fitment. Brierley Hill based A Hingley Transport runs a fleet of 80 top-weight tractor units and 180 trailers and specialises in the movement of steel as well as carrying out general haulage throughout the UK. The company is part of the AH Group, which also refurbishes trailers and builds new trailers, all of which will be fitted with Continental tyres as original equipment.
Continental has launched its new ContiTrailAttack 2 on/off-road bike tyre for bigger capacity dual-purpose machines. The manufacturer says it has “dramatically improved” wet grip and mileage through compound development, while the tyre also features Conti’s “Traction Skin” rider safety aid.
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