Continental Commercial Specialty Tires is to reposition itself in the industrial tire market with a three-brand strategy, consisting of a range of solid tires made under the Continental, General Tire and Barum brands. Continental will offer premium tires, while the General Tire brand is to offer products aimed at medium intensity applications, and Barum tires for low-intensity use.
Continental will offer solid tires to meet the requirements of high intensity applications where vehicles cover high mileage. The Super-Elastic and Press-on-Band (POB) tires feature added stability to ensure a lower rolling due to Continental’s Plus compound. With a lower heat generation, the tire has increased energy efficiency and provides reliable performance. These tires are aimed primarily at forklift applications, but also other industrial vehicles in the production, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and airport ground support sectors.
Under the General Tire name, three ranges will be launched for forklifts, trailers, and other industrial equipment. The General Tire Lifter, a robust Super-Elastic tire, is aimed at indoor and outdoor logistics use, primarily in applications where a focus is put on completing the job, rather than concerns about tire related downtime.
Alongside this, another product, the General Tire Smooth POB has been designed for indoor use where drivers require comfort and traction. This is provided by a smooth tire profile, useful on flat indoor surfaces, while added tread groves provide grip on ramps and wet outdoor surfaces.
Lastly, Barum Industry solid tires are aimed at applications with a high-cost awareness and short operating cycle. The tires have been re-designed for operations that use forklifts or similar vehicles sporadically. It is stated that the Barum Industry will be launched globally in 2022.
