Continental marks 120 years of retreading

Continental is marking 120 years of retreading commercial vehicle tyres.

The tyre manufacturer retreads more than one million bus and truck tyres worldwide every year. According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT), retreaded tyres reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50% compared to new tyres. The amount of recycled and renewable materials in retreaded tyres can be up to 85%. In terms of traction, grip and safety, retreaded tyres from Continental are every bit a match for new tyres.

“Our tyre retreading saves raw materials and costs” – Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires

“We have been a pioneer in retreading truck and bus tyres for more than 120 years,” explains Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires. “Our tyre retreading saves raw materials and costs – a real win-win situation for fleet operators and the environment.”

The origins of Continental’s tyre retreading activities can be found in Hanover, at its Hannover-Vahrenwald more than 120 years ago. In 1903, the company also bought a factory building in Seelze, in the Hanover region, and set up a plant on the site for reclaiming, processing and recycling old rubber.

Continental set a milestone in retreading tyres in 2013 when it opened the ContiLifeCycle plant in the Stöcken district of Hanover. The distinctive feature of this plant is its combination of a retreading and a recycling plant. With an integrated approach consisting of hot retreading for bus tyres as well as a rubber recycling system developed specifically for the ContiLifeCycle plant, the company has been actively promoting the sustainable use of raw materials, water and energy for a decade. Since 2013, around 900,000 bus tyres have been given an extended service life through retreading at the plant in Hanover-Stöcken.

In 2016, Continental acquired retreading firm, Bandvulc. Earlier this year, the Bandvulc production facility in Ivybridge, Devon, became the second ContiLifeCycle plant, sitting alongside Stöcken.

• B&CB visited the Ivybridge plant in issue 1663, 20 October. Read it here.