Continental has reached a new milestone in the premium segment of commercial vehicle tires with its newly developed third tire generation. Riding on the success of its second-generation tires, Continental is systematically continuing its customer-oriented problem-solving approach. The aim of the third generation is a product range that is tuned to customers’ applications and further supports the economic success of customers. An all-new product range for passenger transport will lead the way.
From Continental’s viewpoint, due to increasing requirements for tires, the environment and safety, the time is ripe for a special product range that has been optimized for the needs of passenger transport. Local and long-distance passenger transport in particular will play a central role in the hot topics of urbanization, ecology and future mobility. It therefore deserves particular attention from tire developers.
The new product family for commercial passenger transport covers all usage areas from regular city services through regional traffic to the booming segment of long-distance coaches. Comfort, economy and safety are the main requirements for modern bus tires in all applications. In the new third generation, Continental is providing customer-oriented solutions for the varied work environment of everyday bus travel with three new tire ranges that have been designed for specific uses: Conti Coach, Conti CityPlus and Conti Urban.
The Conti Coach HA3 will be available for long-distance usage in the sizes 295/80 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5 for fitment on all axles. These tires are highly economical, thanks to fuel-efficient mileages. On the road they guarantee good longitudinal and lateral grip, directional stability, precise steering and, thanks to the sipe technology, excellent wet handling performance over the whole tire life.
The Conti CityPlus HA3, a tire specially developed for regional transport usage, precisely meets the requirements of this demanding and growing segment. This tire developed for use on all axles is available in the size 295/80 R 22.5. It is characterized by excellent handling and wet grip properties over its entire life, very good mileages and even wear.
Continental offers the Conti Urban HA3 for demanding public transport tasks in the sizes 275/70 R 22.5 and 315/60 R 22.5 for fitment on all axles. The new tires feature further reinforced sidewalls for effective protection against damage from curbstones and allow up to 20 per cent higher mileages.
Both the high level of ride comfort for bus passengers and also safety and economic aspects like fuel efficiency and regrooving and retreading capabilities are important for bus operators. These are all properties that the new specialist Continental bus tires bring along.
Production capacity expansion
The international tire manufacturer and automotive supplier, Continental continues to pursue its global growth strategy. As the next step in its tire investment program, Continental will expand the annual production capacity of its truck and bus tire plant in Puchov (Slovakia) from about 2.6 million tires to over three million tires in the next years. For this project in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Continental invests approximately €100 million.
“Despite the currently challenging economic situation in Europe, we see a considerable increased demand for our truck and bus tire business in the mid-term,” comments Dr. Andreas Esser, Head of the Business Unit Commercial Vehicle Tires at Continental. “With the exploration especially of the growth markets in Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa we foresee further potential in the years to come. In order to accommodate this rising demand in the near future, we have to expand and upgrade our largest production plant in EMEA further.”
The exact timing of the stepwise capacity increase and corresponding invest will depend on the market development and its influence on the customers’ demand for truck and bus tires.
Puchov, which is Continental’s largest production site for truck and bus tires in EMEA, will not only see an increase in manufacturing capacity but also extensive upgrades to machinery and infrastructure in order to achieve maximum production efficiency. “In order to sustain a technology leader position and provide our customers with best-in-class products, we are con-stantly optimizing our processes and production techniques. In addition, Puchov will be the first plant to produce our new Generation 3 bus tires. By this investment, we will increase our agility to follow the market demands,” remarks Thierry Wipff, Head of Manufacturing Commercial Vehicle Tires at Continental.
Since the beginning of this year, the company has already announced expansion plans for its operations in Mount Vernon (USA) worth more than $95 million (approximately €70 million).