European UHP market will continue to grow - Conti

ERJ staff report (DS)

Hanover, Germany -- Continental believes that there are still opportunities for growth within the highly competitive passenger and light truck tyres sector despite the prolonged crisis - especially in the ultra-high performance sector.

The company claims to be European leader in both the original equipment sector and the winter tyres sector for passenger and light truck tyres and now intends to expand its summer tyres segment in the UHP sector (W-rated and above).

Nikolai Setzer, head of Continental's Passenger and Light Truck Tires division, said, "We are anticipating that this area will see the largest and most profitable market growth during the next few years, with annual growth of more than 6 percent until 2012." He continued, "Last year, a good 15 million of these tyres - which are manufactured in sizes between 17 and 23 inches - were sold to markets in Western and Central Europe. We expect demand to rise to 20.4 million tyres by 2012. This represents a growth of more than 35% compared with 2007 levels."

Setzer said Conti sees new technologies, investment in research and development, and underpinning the sales in the replacement business through success in original equipment as the way to go

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Press release from Conti