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Continental Launches 'Revolution' in Commercial Vehicle Tires at Mid-America Trucking Show

Posted on: Thursday, 19 March 2009, 13:00 CDT

LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- With a multimedia event featuring videos, demonstrations and information from Continental executives, Continental Tire North America, Inc. (CTNA) today launched its "Continental Revolution," a new program designed to improve the product, service and training offerings to commercial vehicle tire customers. At the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), executives announced a new commitment to its partnership with fleet customers by introducing five new tires, new programs designed to reduce overall driving cost and a new state-of-the-art mobile classroom.

Paul Williams, executive vice president of CTNA's commercial vehicle tire group, announced that Continental is ready to reveal the "Untamed Innovation Tour," an unprecedented opportunity to take advantage of the need for fleet customers to lower their costs in today's economic conditions.

"Continental has an amazing opportunity to move to another level and to better serve our customers, moving beyond the public perception that we are the 'best kept secret' in the industry. We are ready to deliver the lowest overall driving cost to our fleet customers, and are taking our message of product performance, service and people to the market," Williams said in a press conference Thursday at the MATS exposition.

An expanded sales force in its commercial division, increased by 50 percent this year, will deliver expanded customer service, said Shaun Uys, director of replacement sales for CTNA North America. As part of a commitment to demonstrably lower fuel cost, Uys also announced the new "Beat the Best" fuel saving contest for commercial vehicles. Until May 15, select fleets will register their comparative fuel consumption between a truck using Continental tires and an identical truck using tires from any other national brand on a dedicated Web site in order to win prize packages and media exposure for the lowest fuel consumption in gallons per 100 miles.

"The fuel savings capability of our tires is evident not just in our engineering technologies of reduced rolling resistance and improved compounding, but also in practice. We're giving our customers the chance to demonstrate how our tires help fleets reduce their operating costs through one of the most important functions a tire can achieve," Uys explained.

Enhancements to Continental's fuel savings calculator have resulted in a new name along with increased value to fleet customers, said Tom Fanning, CTNA's director of original equipment sales - The Americas. The new ContiCostCalculator(TM) product will be launched next month in both desktop and Web-based formats. "It takes into account the tire's purchase price, mileage and rolling resistance to give truck fleets a true comparison of total tire cost. When fuel savings are compared with overall tire mileage, fleets that increase total miles per gallon will save on cost of ownership compared to additional running miles," Fanning said.

"Also critical to lowering overall driving cost is an efficient tire maintenance program, and Continental is launching the ContiTireManagement(TM) program to address this need," said Clif Armstrong, director of commercial vehicle tire marketing for Continental Tire - The Americas. The program is based on industry best practices for the tire manufacturer, the fleet and the tire dealer. ContiTireManagement uses an online portal for Continental field sales teams and select Continental Tire dealers to create individual tire maintenance programs tailored to the fleet to help lower the overall driving costs.

Fleets will also benefit from the new ContiFleet program, providing access to nationwide emergency road service for owner-operators and small fleet owners. "Truckers who join ContiFleet can access 24-hour emergency road services via the Continental TrukFix hotline, and also receive guaranteed emergency service pricing, access to towing and mechanical work and information on tire maintenance best practices," Armstrong explained.

The "Continental Revolution" continued with the announcement of five new Continental commercial vehicle tires: a redesign to its regional steer tire - the HSR2; a new over-the-highway long haul drive tire - the HDL2 DL; a more fuel efficient trailer tire - the HTL Eco Plus; a new heavy steer urban tire - the HSU2; and a new wide-based super single trailer tire - the HTL1.

Armstrong explained that these five new tires are based on designs from customer feedback and help fleet customers achieve their lowest overall driving costs.

Members of the press were also invited to tour the centerpiece of the "Untamed Innovation Tour," Continental's new 83-foot mobile tire information center featuring product samples, rolling resistance demonstrations, a movie theatre, driving games and touch-screen explanations of Continental tire technologies. "The 'Untamed Innovation' mobile classroom is taking the Continental message on the road to customers, fleets and dealers across the country," said Armstrong. The vehicle, a fully-loaded truck with an attached tractor trailer and outdoor display area, features award-winning Continental graphics and custom detailing by the Chrome Shop Mafia.

"All of these programs represent a revolution in the way that Continental customers will experience our technologies and commitment to customer service. We recognize that in today's economy, it is time for revolutionary thinking and strategies to continue to increase fuel efficiency and lower overall driving costs. We think Continental's customers will be excited to learn about the 'Continental Revolution' and how it will impact their bottom line," Armstrong said.

About Continental

With sales exceeding euro 24 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. The corporation employs nearly 140,000 at approximately 190 locations in 35 countries.

For media information, visit www.ctnamedia.com.

SOURCE Continental Tire North America, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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