New Industrial Tyre Innovation From Continental
Continental has announced the development of a new concept for industrial tyres which combines the benefits of both solid and pneumatic tyres. It will be produced under the brand name of SFR 3000.
Industrial Tyres
Continental has announced the development of a new concept for industrial tyres which combines the benefits of both solid and pneumatic tyres. It will be produced under the brand name of SFR 3000.
Continental has introduced a new radial industrial tyre, the “ConRAD HT” in size 8.25 R15. It will also be available in a “clean” version for applications such as the food industry.
Two agreements have been signed by Nokian and Michelin concerning the off-take manufacture of Nokian brand agricultural, industrial and truck tyres at Michelin’s Polish factory. The agreements will last for three years and will be renewed annually thereafter. Sales of agricultural and industrial tyres will start this year and truck tyres early in 2001.
Nokian Tyres has terminated the agreement, made in November 1997, with Tofan, under which the Romanian manufacturer produced some agricultural and industrial tyres for the Finnish company. The reason given was that Tofan was unable to meet quality expectations.
Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian has confirmed that the company intends to produce commercial tyres in the USA as soon as possible. The first products will be forest tyres, followed by industrial tyres. A spokesman for Nokian said that it had not yet been decided whether the company would build its own factory in the USA, whether there would be some kind of joint venture co-operation, or whether tyres would be manufactured in an off-take agreement. The Finnish company has been active in the US and Canadian markets for some years.
In February Reifen Gundlach GmbH organised the “GT-Radial Tour 2000”, a trip to GT-Radial’s country of origin. The name is a brand of radial tyres (car summer/winter, van, light truck, off-road) produced by the Indonesian tyre manufacturer Gajah Tunggal. Under the brand name “Gajah Tunggal” the company also produces cross-ply tyres for trucks and buses as well as industrial tyres and motorcycle tyres under brand names “Nitto Tyre” and “IRC”. In Germany GT-Radial tyres have been sold exclusively by wholesaler Reifen Gundlach (part of the Japanese Itochu group) for about six years. During the event the tyre manufacturer presented (among others) two new tyres, “Preciro” (available from May, eleven sizes, series 60 and 65) and “Classiro” (QIII/2000, seven sizes, series 70). The current range of products has also been enlarged by new sizes/versions and the Indonesians also become increasingly interested in the small transporter and van segment. When Gajah Tunggal speaks of the intention to enter the radial truck tyre business, the company is probably taking the long view. Further volume growth in the winter car tyre segment is targeted, too. Especially in Germany, one of the most important markets for the company anyway. The export business (80 to 90 p.c.) in GT-Radial tyres is (more than) vital for the manufacturer, since sales figures in the non-radial tyre segment have fallen sharply due to the Asian crisis.
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