Page 40 - RB-62-12-3

SOUTH AMERICA
Conti’s Mexico Plant to Supply Tread to Brazil
HSU1, LSU1, HSC1, HSC, HDC1 and HTR2 SA. The current brand portfolio includes tyres for the segments of long distance, regional traffic, urban traffic and construction.
The ContiTread can also be used on any goods trailer tyre. The Continental brand retread tyre also has the added benefit of the C3 Guarantee, which protects the retreaded tyre up to the end of its third life.
All new tyres from Continental toward commercial applications are produced at the plant in Camaçari, in Bahia, which last year received an investment of U.S. $ 210 million by 2014 to double its production capacity geared both to supply the internal market and for export (NAFTA countries and Latin America). Last year it produced 5.7 million tyres.
The Brazilian market for retreaded tyres has a volume of 7.6 million truck tyres a year. Brazil is the second largest market in this segment, behind only the United States. According to the Brazilian Association of Tire Retreaders (APR), annual turnover of the industry is about $ 4 billion. The sector has 1,300 tyre retreading business, 18 suppliers of raw materials and generates hundreds of thousands of direct jobs. Today, in Brazil, more than two-thirds of truck tyres in use are retreaded, generating savings of approximately $ 5.6 billion / year for the transport sector.
A further boost for the quality retread sector in Brazil is the requirement for INMETRO certification; By November, all retreaders of commercial tyres (truck and bus) must obtain the INMETRO certification as stated by Ordinance No. 444 of November
19, 2010, published in the Official Gazette on 23 November 2010. Certification is compulsor y, ie, all companies that perform the service of retreaded tyres intended for Commercial Vehicles, Light Commercial Vehicles and their trailers shall be required to meet the requirements of the ordinance. Those who do not conform to the statutor y period stipulated cannot perform the service and their retreading of tyres shall be subject to legal sanctions and penalties provided by law.
INMETRO established a series of measures to certify tyre retreading units, including the submission of supporting documentation and technical evaluation of the company's premises and records from government agencies,.
The rule applies to any method of retreaded tyres. Only after inspection, review and approval of all documentation and processes may a company use the certification seal of INMETRO. "We will give all necessar y support for our partners retread obtain the fastest possible mandator y certification INMETRO" concludes Gilberto Viviani.
The launch of ContiTread integrates with the ContiLifeProgram in Brazil, a global initiative focused on the Continental offer of a better performance tyre throughout its lifecycle from programs for regrooving, retreading and recycling, resulting in a reduction of the total cost of operation.
ContiTread is being supplied to the Brazilian market from its Mexican plant, and will play a big part in Continental’s ongoing development in the Brazilian truck tyre sector.
Continental Renato Aarzano, Conti’s MD in Latin America
Continental, one of the largest tyre manufacturers in the world, has declared its intention to enter the Brazilian retread tyre sector. The company will work on three fronts: a partnership with the brand dealerships interested in incorporating the provision of that service, with new companies willing to invest in retreading of truck tyres and with companies that already operate in this segment and have interest in working with the Continental brand.
"Our network is currently made up of over 200 points of sale of truck tyres throughout Brazil and, at first, the focus will be on delivering retreading services in the major centres. Our partners will have the technical and logistical support of our team from the definition of layouts and selection of machinery, through to the training of the retreading staff and sales staff.
“We know that for many this will be a totally new business, but it presents a huge potential," explains Renato Sarzano, managing director and responsible for the business operations of Continental tyres in Latin America.
Continental is bringing ContiTread to the market, the tread holds the same characteristics of the brand’s truck tyres, providing a performance equivalent to the original in successive recaps, not only in delivering high mileage but also lower fuel consumption and uniform wear.
They are produced in Continental's plant in Morelia, Mexico, one of the most modern plants of the Group worldwide, and is responsible for supplying the markets of the United States, Central America and now Brazil. The reform process adopted by the Continental uses automated equipment and employs advanced technology that ensures a perfect positioning of the components, thus ensuring the optimisation of the process and minimising inventories
of raw materials.
"Retreadability is now a strong selling point for manufacturers of new tyres. By maximising the life of tyres using ContiTread, operators help the environment; they reduce operating costs and become an important differentiator for the fleet, "said Gilberto Viviani, national sales manager for Continental Commercial Vehicle Tyres.
"The ContiTread offer is revolutionary in its essence. By introducing to the process of retreading tyre load factors critical to maintaining the original design of the tread and using the same compound as the original tyre, the improvements obtained are amazing. It allows the retread tyre to deliver the same fuel economy and high performance that are a reference for the company's products worldwide. Conti projects
a substantial gain in savings in comparison with other methods of retreading when considering the important benefits of the ContiTread tyres such as fuel consumption, durability, mileage, wet grip, traction and power, "adds Renato Sarzano.
The ContiTread tread designs are available in HSR, HSR2 SA, LSR1, HDR2 SA, HDR1, HTL Eco Plus,
40 Retreading Business