Press Release
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Conti Truck Dealer Meeting Kicks off with LifeCycle
Expansion Announcement
 Continental plans to double plant size and more than triple capacity at
ContiLifeCycle tread rubber manufacturing plant in Mexico
 Plant can now produce more than 1.2 million ContiTread products annually
 Continental plans further retreading investment in 2014
 Announcement today at annual truck tire dealer meeting in Florida
Bonita Springs, FL, January 5, 2012. Always looking for the most effective ways to support its
dealers, Continental Tire the Americas, LLC’s commercial vehicle tire unit kicked off its annual
meeting today in Florida with an exciting announcement regarding its ContiLifeCycle retreading
solution. In the opening discussion, Paul Williams, executive vice president for truck tires in the
Americas, broke the news that Continental has made a significant investment in its tread rubber
plant in central Mexico.
“We first opened the ContiLifeCycle tread rubber manufacturing plant in May 2011 with the
intent of supplying our ContiLifeCycle retread licensees and company-owned plants throughout
our current footprint of the U.S., Mexico and the Andean region, and expanding in the near
future to include the Mercosur countries. Due to overwhelming demand, today I am happy to
announce a multi-million dollar investment at this central location, which is occurring more than
a year earlier than anticipated,” Williams said to a crowd of more than 150 dealers from
throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The investment, Williams said, includes a capacity increase by adding an additional curing and
finishing line, and doubles the size of the manufacturing facility to allow for additional space for
both raw materials and work in progress. The facility will have a footprint of more than 4,000
square meters space. Production of Continental’s ContiTread flat treads has been tripled, he
said.
“This expansion allows us to accommodate the growing need for retreaded truck tires in our
current markets, and to comfortably expand as we reach even further across the Americas. The
result is that Continental now has the ability to cap more than 1.2 million truck tires annually with
our ContiTreads. An additional expansion has already been planned for 2014, which involves
yet another curing and finishing line to be installed,” Williams said.
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Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564
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Williams attributes the skyrocketing growth of the ContiLifeCycle business to the need for fleets
in the Americas to have an economical lifetime truck tire solution, and also to the high level of
interest from dealers in each country.
“It’s been absolutely phenomenal, how many dealers are approaching us and wanting to be a
part of this new business for Continental. We know that the ContiLifeCycle has a lot to offer as
far as independence for retreaders, excellent products and great support. Since we’re already
expanding, dealers can be confident that we will be able to meet their needs with a reliable
supply of tread rubber and related materials. These things put together are a very attractive
combination that we know many dealers are interested in adopting,” Williams said.
Continental is currently offering 14 ContiTread tread patterns in various widths and depths, and
the portfolio continues to expand, said ContiLifeCycle manager John Barnes.
“The new truck tires we release beginning in 2012 will be evaluated for production as
ContiTreads. The majority of these product launches will immediately include a retread
component with the same pattern as the new tire, and performance just like it as well. So this
year marks the beginning of our seamless transition from new products just available to the
market to ContiTreads as well, making even greater availability of a true lifetime product,”
Barnes explained.
The meeting also included the introduction of Continental’s “Solutions for your Business”
meeting concept, which involves a multitude of tools and seminars to help dealers navigate the
fluid business climate of the 21st century and the tire industry. Director of marketing Clif
Armstrong explained that dealers at the meeting are being exposed to every product
Continental has to offer.
In addition to Commercial Vehicle Tire products and services, representatives of other key
commercial truck component businesses of Continental AG showcased their solutions.
Continental’s Passenger and Light Truck Tire group, key industry new and retread suppliers,
and representatives from Continental’s Uvalde Proving Grounds in Texas also participated. The
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Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564
-3goal, Armstrong said, was to provide dealers a complete 360-degree view of Continental
products and services.
“Continental, as one of the leading automotive suppliers worldwide, has the potential to touch or
develop almost any part of a commercial truck. Tires are just a part of our global family that also
includes telematics, sensors, navigation systems, brakes and much more. At this year’s
meeting, we’re showing dealers how Continental is a true partner for their business, providing
them with some valuable business-building tools as well as our latest news regarding
Continental and General commercial truck tires,” Armstrong said.
The keynote speaker at the event, demographer Ken Gronbach, is the best-selling author of
“The Age Curve: How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Storm” and “Decades of
Differences, Making it Work,” a comprehensive guide to coping with three generations in the
workforce. Continental asked Gronbach to speak at the meeting to discuss how dealers can
position their businesses for success by knowing what’s next for their workforce and the
American economy, Armstrong said.
“This is an exciting meeting, and these are exciting times to be a part of Continental truck tires,”
Williams concluded. “In 2012 we’ll be offering many things that our dealers and fleet customers
have never seen before. From our investment in the ContiLifeCycle plant to the products and
strategies seen here at this meeting, Continental is going to be the truck tire company to watch
in 2012,” he predicted.
For more information about Continental, visit www.continental-truck.com. A synopsis of the
ContiLifeCycle retreading solution can be read at www.contimedia-cvt.com/contilifecycle .
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Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564
-4With sales of €26 billion in 2010, 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 to
enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in
networked automobile communication. Continental currently has approximately 164,000 employees in
45 countries.
Contact for journalists:
Jackie Pobiega
Communications Manager, Commercial Vehicle Tires
Continental Tire the Americas, LLC
1830 MacMillan Park Drive
Fort Mill, SC 29707
Phone: 704-583-8564
Fax: 704-583-8737
E-mail: jackie.pobiega@conti-na.com
CTA Commercial Vehicle Tires Media Site: www.ContiMedia-CVT.com
Continental Truck Tires Web Site: www.continental-truck.com
Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564