Press Release
A world first for Continental Industrial Tires ContiRT20 Performance
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For forklifts, side loaders and other industrial trucks
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Rugged design for arduous applications
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High-traction tread pattern and heavy duty construction
Fort Mill, South Carolina, May 6, 2010. After an accelerated (18-month) engineering,
development, and testing program, the industrial tires business unit of Continental Tire the
Americas, LLC (“Continental”) has added an entirely new product to its portfolio. The
ContiRT20 Performance, a premium pneumatic radial industrial tire, is designed with special
features that reduce punctures, flats and heat buildup. Continental unveiled this tire in size
12.00 R 20 at bauma, the construction machines and equipment expo in Munich, Germany
on April 19.
The new ContiRT20 Performance meets extremely high requirements of longer life
expectancy, less downtime and greater stability, said Martin Burdorf, director of Continental’s
industrial tires business unit – The Americas. Many companies that handle lumber, block,
brick, pipe and steel are willing to pay a premium to switch from bias-ply tires to Continental’s
industrial radials— particularly for their larger forklifts. But while Continental industrial radials
consistently satisfy these demands for fewer flats and longer, cooler operation, market
conditions now demand that industrial tires provide even greater puncture resistance,
increased lateral stability and greater potential for retreading. The ContiRT20 Performance
meets all of these demands and has been engineered to achieve up to 30 percent greater life
expectancy than its predecessors, Burdorf said.
“In just looking at the tread pattern design, you can see that the ContiRT20 Performance
provides excellent traction characteristics. It’s also been designed to wear evenly with an
overall stronger carcass. But to satisfy our customers, this tire makes absolutely no
compromises in stationary stability for heavy loads or protection against stone trapping,
which can damage the tire and cause premature removal,” Burdorf said.
Heavier-duty tread blocks, wide, flat-belt construction, reinforced steel beads, stiffened, more
impact-resistant sidewalls, and a wider, abrasion-resistant tread are just some of the
impressive design features of the ContiRT20 Performance. The tread depth of this tire was
-2increased to the maximum to ensure the longest possible service life, even under arduous
conditions. The tread pattern design, featuring wide grooves, provides reliable traction on
both surfaced and unsurfaced ground.
Continental also designed this tire to meet environmental requirements, with an advanced
low rolling resistance tread compound, which reduces energy and fuel consumption. The
tire’s strength and high performance reserves will also allow for longer lifetimes and greater
retreadability, which reduce waste from premature replacement of tires.
Since September 2008 the new product has undergone scrutiny according to the full set of
tire testing rules, including comparing the tire's performance against its competitors, said
Burdorf. Continental’s developers and testing engineers took into account the heavy stress
that industrial tires endure under various conditions including wood, steel and cement
industries; shipyards, logistic centers, airport and seaport operations; and indoor and outdoor
applications.
“We literally subjected hundreds of ContiRT20 Performance radial tires to extensive, realworld testing against our competitors’ tires, at multiple end-user locations around the world
including ports, lumber yards, concrete pipe yards, and paper mills,” said Phil Lannon, U.S.
sales manager for Continental’s industrial tire business unit. “After these extensive tests
against the competition, we truly believe that the ContiRT20 Performance is the best
industrial radial tire available today, hands down.”
This tire line is available in 13 sizes with Speed Index A5 (25 km/h - 16 mph). Production
began in April and further sizes may be introduced as the market demands, the company
said. The ContiRT20 Performance can be installed with either a tube and flap, or with
Continental’s TSR (Tubeless Sealing Ring) which guards against rapid deflation in the event
of a tread or sidewall puncture.
Sizes as a standard aspect ratio tire:
6.00 R 9 121 A5 TL
6.50 R 10 18 A5 TL
7.00 R 12 136 A5 TL
-38.25 R 15 153 A5 TL
10.00 R 20 166 A5 TL
12.00 R 20 176 A5 TL
Sizes as a low aspect ratio tire:
180/70 R 8 125 A5 TL
225/75 R 10 142 A5 TL
250/75 R 12 152 A5 TL (production starts in May 2010)
225/75 R 15 149 A5 TL
250/70 R 15 153 A5 TL
315/70 R 15 165 A5 T TL
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With sales of approximately €20 billion in 2009 Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers
worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis,
instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental
contributes enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent
partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 138,000
in 46 countries.
Continental is the only tire manufacturer to supply a comprehensive range of industrial tires, making it
the No. 1 in Germany and Europe, and one of the top three worldwide.
Your contact person:
Ute Weiss
Communication/PR Manager
Industrial Tires
Commercial Vehicle Tire Division
Continental AG I Rubber Group
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
Büttnerstrasse 25
D-30165 Hanover, Germany
Ph.: +49 (0) 511 938 2131
Fax: +49 (0) 511 938 2706
Email: ute.weiss@conti.de
Jaclyn Pobiega
Media Specialist
Commercial Vehicle Tire Division
Continental Tire the Americas, LLC
Fort Mill, SC 29707
Ph.: 704 583 8564
Fax: 704 583 8737
Email: jackie.pobiega@conti-na.com
Media database at www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com
Continental Industrial Tires Global Web site: www.continental-industrial-tires.com