Tire manufacturer Continental is reorganizing its passenger and truck tires replacement businesses in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa under the leadership of Philipp von Hirschheydt, former head of the passenger tires replacement business in the EMEA region.
The passenger and truck businesses have been merged into a single overarching business unit to allow greater customer centricity while increasing the overall efficiency of the organizations.
As of now, the sales of passenger car, van and truck tires will be managed in an integrated manner in the new ‘Replacement Tyres EMEA’ business unit. Instead of product categories, the new joint organization is structured according to customer groups, such as major international key accounts, fleet customers, OEM aftersales customers, or customers in emerging markets.
Continental said that the merging of previously separate central functions, including the marketing and e-business departments, ensures greater synergy. One of its specific objectives is ensuring that digital structures required to optimize and personalize the customer experience are developed quickly and effectively.
“The completion of the re-organization measures marks a milestone for us. We have consistently looked ahead and organized ourselves closely in line with current and future needs of our customers – from local retail, wholesale and commercial tire dealerships to international key accounts, fleet customers and OEM aftersales customers. The merger will make us even more efficient and allow us to connect know-how from previously separate entities and utilize it for the benefit of our customers,” said von Hirschheydt (top).
Simultaneous to this merger, Continental is also consolidating its Commercial Specialty Tires, Two Wheel Tires and Hoosier Racing Tire operations into a new Specialty Tires business unit. As a result, from now on, the entire Continental specialty tire business will be developed, manufactured and distributed worldwide under the umbrella of the new unit and will cover tires for material handling, the agricultural, port and construction sectors through to bicycle and motorcycle tires and tires for racing.
Wolfgang Thomale is responsible for the new business unit, within which Two Wheel Tires will be under the leadership of Thomas Falke, and racing the responsibility of Joerg Burfien.
