Continental Introduces Sustainable Solutions and Certificates for Fleet Operators

Continental Introduces Sustainable Solutions and Certificates for Fleet Operators

(IN BRIEF) Continental is offering a comprehensive portfolio of solutions aimed at making fleet operations more efficient and sustainable. Fleet operators can select from a modular range of solutions, including ContiLifeCycle and ContiConnect digital tire management, as part of the Lowest Overall Driving Costs (LODC) consultancy approach. Continental now provides fleet operators with a sustainability certificate, demonstrating how they contribute to sustainability by using ContiRe retreaded tires. These tires help reduce carbon emissions by up to 50% compared to new tires, with up to 85% of the materials in a retreaded tire being recycled or renewable. Tire retreading is an eco-friendly method that extends tire life by up to 99%, lowering costs per mile and total costs for fleet customers. Continental’s LODC approach, which focuses on tire-related operational costs, offers significant cost savings and environmental benefits. The newly introduced sustainability certificates provide evidence of these efforts, aligning with the growing importance of sustainability and climate-neutral transport in the logistics sector.

(PRESS RELEASE) HANOVER, 2-Nov-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Continental is presenting its fleet customers with an effective portfolio of solutions for making fleet operations efficient and sustainable. Fleet operators can choose from a modular range of solutions thanks to the Lowest Overall Driving Costs (LODC) comprehensive consultancy approach including ContiLifeCycle and ContiConnect digital tire management. The premium tire maker is now also providing operators with a certificate as proof of how they are helping to drive sustainability. “Taking as a basis the ContiRe tires fitted to the vehicles, we are able to calculate the material and carbon savings achieved during the course of production and retreading,” explains Siljana Lietz, Head of ContiLifeCycle at Continental Tires Germany. A study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) showed that the carbon emissions of retreads are up to around 50 percent lower compared to similar new tires. Plus, recycled and renewable materials account for as much as 85 percent of a retreaded tire. “We devised the certificate at the request of our customers, whose day-to-day business increasingly calls for evidence of their efforts to improve sustainability and look after our planet’s resources.” The whole sustainability issue and climate-neutral transport are constantly gaining in importance in the logistics sector – a trend driven not least by tightly defined statutory requirements.

Conserving resources and protecting the environment with retreaded tires

Tire retreading is an efficient way of helping to increase a fleet’s sustainability. This method can save up to 55 kilograms of waste. ContiLifeCycle is the name given to Continental’s holistic approach that seeks to create a circular economy. “Retreading extends the tire’s lifetime – and therefore its mileage for the fleet – by as much as 99 percent by giving it another life,” explains tire expert Lietz. “This has the effect of lowering both costs per mile and total costs for our customers.”

ContiLifeCycle: retreading saves resources

Retreads are an effective means of reducing environmental impact by saving raw materials, water and energy during production. A tire consists of a casing and a length of tread. Even if its tread has worn down, the casing will usually still be perfectly intact. Retreading involves removing the remaining tread rubber from the tire and reusing the casing for a second and even a third tire life. Two different processes are used: cold and hot retreading. “We are generally able to reuse around 70 percent of the original tire,” continues Lietz. “That saves raw materials, water and energy.” Retreaded tires are safe and very durable – and also far cheaper than new tires because the casing can be reused. “Fleets can reduce their tire costs by as much as 40 percent with our ContiRe retreaded tires and ContiTread solutions.”

Reducing operational costs

This makes retreaded tires a decisive element of the ContiLifeCycle solution – one of the pillars of Continental’s innovative LODC concept. “LODC stands for Lowest Overall Driving Costs, which is our comprehensive consultancy approach that seeks to help fleet customers cut their tire-related operational costs,” explains Ralf Benack, Head of Fleet Solutions EMEA at Continental Tires. At first glance, tires would only seem to make up around five percent of a truck’s total operating costs. However, tires also have a significant impact on fuel, maintenance and repair costs, which account for over 53 percent of total costs. This makes them a key cost lever, meaning LODC is a genuine success factor for fleet customers in tough times.

Added value for fleet customers – now with proof included

The sustainable ContiLifeCycle concept combines with Continental’s cost-focused LODC approach to offer fleet customers a wealth of benefits: hot-retreaded ContiRe tires and cold-retreaded tires using our ContiTread tire treads, service-oriented casing management complete with ContiCasingAccount, plus long-lasting and fuel-efficient new tires. This generates added value in the form of substantial cost savings and a reduced impact on the environment. ContiLifeCycle and Continental’s LODC philosophy create sustainability that brings real benefits and can now be verified with a certificate.

Media Contact:

Annette Rojas
Communications Manager
Business Area Replacement EMEA
Continental Tires
+49 160 9083 7745
annette.rojas@conti.de

SOURCE: Continental AG