Continental increases OE share in Europe

ERJ staff report (TB)

Geneva, Switzerland -- Continental AG sold nearly 40 million passenger and light truck OE tyres in Europe last year, increasing its share of the market by about two percentage points to more than 32 percent.

At the same time, Conti “sacrificed” some of its unprofitable business in North and South America, reducing its OE share throughout the Americas to 14 percent, according to Karlheinz Evertz, global OE business manager for passenger and light truck tyres.

For 2009 Conti is forecasting fewer sales to European vehicle makers and assumes the market will pick up again in the fourth quarter. At the same time, it will continue to focus on profitable deals in North America, where it delivered 8.7 million car and light truck tyres to OE customers last year.

Supplies to Asian car manufacturers, which last year accounted for 700,000 tyres, are forecast to change little, the firm said in materials released at the Geneva Motor Salon.

Conti said it sold about 110 million car and light truck tyres globally last year, putting the OE share of this business at nearly 45 percent.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)

Press release from Conti