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		A DURABLE steel belt radial is given further muscle by adding steel-wound ‘breakers’ on top of it. The stronger  the tyre casing, the more the retread potential.
The growing number of truck tyre imports from the Far East has put increasing pressure on European and locally-based tyre manufacturers to lower prices and produce new tyres that lower operating costs by performing better and lasting longer. Continental Tyre SA is one such company, having boosted its truck tyre offering with the addition of the Barum Steelcord Radial truck tyre range. Paul Collings goes walkabout in Continental's Port Elizabeth plant.
		THE CONTINENTAL HDR range for drive wheels. A very wide footprint with deep treads and a closed shoulder make for quieter running and longer tread life.

"Continental is relatively new to the truck market and we had to ask ourselves whether there was a gap for another truck tyre range. With the strong growth in truck sales, we believed such a gap existed."

It's Eddie Jordaan, GM sales and marketing speaking and what has emanated from this line of thought is that Continental now offers two ranges of truck tyres, the premium Continental and the lower-priced Barum, the latter being a tyre designed for harsh operating environments. The brand has performed well in Eastern Europe, where road conditions, like in South Africa, aren't too sophisticated.

Continental Tyre SA is PE's largest consumer of energy and employs over 1 750 people. "We produce more than 12 000 tyres per day," says Jordaan. "We're the largest exporter of tyres in the country and we've become the leading car tyre brand in local motor racing. Despite this, we have a big enemy in cheap imports. Most of them come from China and they're good quality too. Their shortcoming is that they're completely unsupported. Continental on the other hand has well-established distribution channels, called Conti Partners, of whom there are 145. These dealers can capitalise on this lack of after-sales service. They now need a truck tyre that can compete with these imports and the Barum range can do this. Our mission is to show the savings to the transporter."
 

The revamped PE plant is now open-plan to facilitate the 'Just in Time' mode of production. Here a Conti technician rolls green rubber onto a mix of rayon, polyester and nylon.

These containers heat the green tyre to temperatures between 170º & 190ºC for 55 minutes. A new container has to be built for each new tyre design with a hefty R450 000 price tag.

Looming large. Weaving the steel cords together to make up the steel belt radials demands exact spacing and a computer to do the job right.

So how does a tyre manufacturer deliver cost savings to truck transporters? "Through a mix of design innovation and fleet service support," says Jordaan. "Heat weakens the rubber compound, causing the tyre components to come apart. The latest Continental and Barum designs extend the life of a tyre by reducing heat generation through reduced tread depth, more supple treads and reduced rubber volume.

Stones which get caught between treads can also damage tyre casings, limiting retreadability. On this point, Jordaan says the new pyramid-shaped tread designs are very effective in ejecting stones, thereby enhancing the lifespan of a casing.

"Continental is constantly developing better ways to make tyres run cooler, reduce rolling resistance and improve tread wear. Improved wet and dry road holding and enhanced braking ability are also important aspects of our product development. " 

From a fleet service support perspective, Jordaan explains that the company offers free advice on tyre management and control, together with the service aspects such scrap analysis, fleet inspections, load and route studies, monitored fitments, as well as training of drivers and tyre personnel. Continental also offers the Ten4 Truck programme that offers 24-hour emergency roadside assistance within Southern Africa for transport operators.

Rolling rubber occupies a high place on a transporter's cost schedule and has to be managed effectively. Good quality tyres may have come down in price but if you're running a few hundred of them a year, price won't mean much if you're not getting the optimum mileage and retread life from each tyre and casing. In order to achieve this, tyre management expertise is vital.

In an era of outsourcing, sub-contracting tyre management is now a common avenue for large transport companies. For smaller operators, Continental Tyre SA may have found a perfect niche between the DIY route and full-blown outsoured tyre management - the provision of a tried and tested budget truck tyre range, free expert tyre advice and 24-hour roadside assistance. After all, it's all about keeping those wheels rolling and in a country as vast as ours, having 145 Conti Partners out there to lend a helping hand has got to count for something.
 

Every new tyre is x-rayed for faults before rolling onto the dispatch column.

A 'green'/pre-cured casing gets ready for tread treatment.