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.”
Germany’s Continental AG has signed an agreement to purchase a Trelleborg business – but this particular transaction has nothing to do with Trelleborg Wheel Systems or even tyres. The deal will see Trelleborg’s printing solutions business changing hands for an undisclosed sum. Continental says the acquisition will complement its surface solutions and printing technology portfolio, enhancing the company’s presence with industrial customers.
With immediate effect, the Steyr Expert CVT, Profi Series, Impuls CVT and Absolut CVT tractor ranges are available with factory-fitted Continental TractorMaster and VF TractorMaster tyres. Steyr is a CNH Industrial brand; Continental also supplies tyres to its sister company, Case IH.
With Continental AG celebrating 150 years in business during 2021, Tyres & Accessories recently interviewed Christian Kötz, Head of the Tires division and member of the Continental AG Executive Board in order to get an insight into how the global company is handling the challenges of today in light of its long history.
Tyres & Accessories: Continental celebrated its 150th anniversary in October. For a large part of its history Continental has been primarily known as a tyre manufacturer. But what does the Tires business unit mean for Continental today?
Anniversary year ups and downs: As it marks one and a half centuries in the business, Continental reports that it has “set the strategic course for the next successful chapter in its history by making its previously announced structural adjustments” during Q3 2021. But the delivery situation for electronic components also worsened during the quarter, and Continental says this “had a significant impact on sales and earnings” that could only be partially offset by sales volumes within its aftermarket tyre and industrial product businesses.
Continental is calling for politicians in its homeland to develop a more targeted concept for achieving carbon neutrality, and warns that now is the time to identify new employment opportunities brought about by climate transformation. Without a targeted concept and greater momentum, the company fears the German government’s determination to reach self-imposed climate targets by 2045 will result in serious disruption.
German end-of-life tyre recycling specialist Pyrum Innovations AG has started expanding production capacity within the pyrolysis plant at its headquarters site in Dillingen, Saarland. The expansion will add two further production lines to the single line that’s been operating since May 2020 and has to date produced pyrolysis oil, recovered carbon black (rCB) and pyrolysis gas from more than 7,000 tonnes of waste tyres.
Following the news that Goodyear has retained the UK police fleet tyre contract, Tyres & Accessories contacted Crown Commercial Services in order to confirm which other tyre firms have succeeded in winning their part of the two government tyre supply contracts which together are worth an estimated £200 million.
Continental tyres will provide the point of contact between road and car for BMW 4 Series models around the world thanks to the car maker’s approval of summer and winter products for global markets. It will fit the Continental EcoContact 6 in 17- and 18-inch sizes and has homologated the WinterContact TS 860 S for colder conditions. All tyres bear the XL increased load capacity marking.
In light of a range of factors such as ongoing semiconductor supply issues and supply chain uncertainties, Continental has adjusted its outlook for the 2021 fiscal year. Assuming exchange rates in Q4 2021 don’t materially differ to those on 30 September 2021, Continental expects consolidated sales of approximately €32.5 billion to €33.5 billion (as opposed to the projected figure of €33.5 billion to €34.5 billion announced on 5 August) and an adjusted EBIT margin in the range of approximately 5.2 to 5.6 per cent (previously 6.5 to 7.0%).
Continental has launched a new telehandler and compact loader tyre, Introducing the CompactMaster EM. Rebecca Shedden, Continental’s general sales manager for Commercial Specialty Tyres, says: “The CompactMaster EM is specifically designed to help operators handle demanding rough conditions. The tyre features new Turtle Shield tread technology and a twisted steel cord. The hard shell, and more flexible steel wire construction, helps to prevent cuts and damages whilst offering greater stability.”
With Continental AG celebrating its 150th birthday in 2021, the company has been presenting milestones in its dynamic development over the last 15 decades in the form of events and interactive games. Following Continental’s actual birthday on 8 October, retail and fleet customers were invited to go on a journey through time to experience how Continental, present in the UK for close to a century, has become a pacesetter for modern automotive solutions and is helping to shape the future of holistic mobility.
Continental shares that the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance is being delivered with its tyres as original equipment. The plug-in hybrid, which is the most powerful roadgoing AMG vehicle ever, wears the SportContact 6 at the front in size 265/40 ZR 20 (104Y) XL and 295/35 ZR 20 (105Y) XL on the rear wheels. Both dimensions are marked MO1B on the sidewall to denote their OE status.
The long-term partnership between Continental Tire and the top-flight men’s football league in the USA and Canada has been extended, and to commemorate this renewal of the relationship during its 150th anniversary year, Continental is gifting US$150,000 to the “incredibly passionate” fans of Major League Soccer (MLS), the Club Supporters Groups.
Happy birthday, Continental. The German tyre maker and technology company is 150 years old today, making it one of the oldest companies both in Germany and within the automotive business. One and a half centuries after starting out as a maker of rubber products for horse-drawn vehicles, the firm still specialises in the latest modes of transport and is positioning itself to meet future challenges.
Continental has initiated a restructure of its management following a meeting of its Supervisory Board on Thursday. Board members Helmut Matschi and Frank Jourdan will leave the company prematurely. Matschi (58) and Jourdan (61) were originally to stay in position until 2024. As of January 1, 2022, the company will retain only five board members. The group will also integrate its activities into three corporate divisions: Automotive, Tires and ContiTech.
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Continental
Ahisgett; Flickr; CC-BY-2.0
Continental
