Continental launches locally manufactured car tyres

German tyre manufacturer, Continental AG has launched two passenger car tyre lines in the Indian market - ContiMaxContact MC5 and ContiComfortContact CC5.

The ContiComfortContact CC5 is designed for the compact and mid-sized segments of passenger cars. The product is made by using silica compound technology, which Continental claims, lowers rolling resistance, which in turn, results in better fuel efficiency figures. The tyre's tread pattern design has chamfered lateral grooves with an asymmetrical pattern rib.

The ContiMaxContact MC5 is designed for the high end, mid-sized and executive segments of passenger cars. The tyre features an asymmetrical tread pattern, chamfered blocks and activated silica compound technology. Continental claims this tyre is good for high speed handling.

These tyre lines, which the company claims have been designed specifically for the Asia Pacific region and customised further for Indian requirements, are being manufactured at a new facility for PLT (passenger and light truck) tyres, which has been set up at Continental's existing tyre plant at Modipuram. It has an initial capacity of 800,000 tyres per annum with further expansion potential.

Continental claims to have brought experienced staff from some of its international production sites to India in order to train local staff on handling the new machinery and production techniques. Additionally, more than 100 local employees were sent abroad to various international production sites in Germany, Romania, China and Malaysia for training in radial car tyre production and technology.

Continental has a dealer network of more than 425 and around 30 aligned branded shops in all major cities in India. The company is planning to expand this network further expanded in an effort to make its products and services are available across the whole country.