Continental is reviving its agricultural tyre business with the launching of its first premium radial tyres for agricultural operations, which is an important step in the growth of the group’s tyre division, said Nikolai Setzer, member of the Executive Board of Continental AG and head of the tyre division.
“Over the past few years, we have been able to successfully expand the specialty tyre business with the launch of port and earthmoving tyres. The agricultural tyre portfolio completes the product range for off-road use.”
With Tractor70 and Tractor85, Continental is launching two standard tyres for tractors. The tyres both display extreme robustness and durability, while at the same time ensuring a high level of driving comfort, gentle ground handling and traction. They feature a new bead technology and are made of an innovative nylon material, for a patent is pending under the name N.flex.
The tyres bear the ‘Engineered for Efficiency’ label, which means that they are designed to increase the performance of agricultural machinery and the quality of their work, while reducing the resources deployed. After the launch of the standard tyres Tractor70 and Tractor85, the Continental tyre portfolio is to be expanded to a total of 100 sizes until 2019.
At the same time as the market launch of Tractor70 and Tractor85, Continental is also starting agricultural tyre production at its site in Lousado. The state-of-the-art production facility was set up in less than two years with an investment of EUR49.9 million. It is adjacent to the passenger car tyre production facility, which is one of the most efficient within the Continental Group.
Continental has also set up a test and development centre at the new agricultural tyre production site, where the agricultural tyres are tested for quality and developed further.
Continental’s re-entry into the agricultural tyre business will rely on its own in-depth knowledge of the development, production and distribution of specialty tyres. At the same time, the tyre manufacturer benefits from decades of experience in the agricultural tyre business: the first tow tyre was produced in 1928 and until 2004 radial tyres were produced in the Czech town of Otrokovice. For this reason, Continental still enjoys a good reputation on the market.
The communication campaign accompanying the market launch combines passion with technical expertise and innovation and reflects Continental’s strong customer focus. It emphasises the devotion farmers have for their job and highlights the soil as the origin of the farmer’s harvest and yield and how it is optimally protected by Continental tyres.