Continental is presenting its fleet customers with an effective portfolio of solutions for making fleet operations efficient and sustainable. Fleet operators can choose from a modular range of solutions thanks to the Lowest Overall Driving Costs (LODC) comprehensive consultancy approach, including ContiLifeCycle and ContiConnect digital tyre management.
The premium tyre maker is now also providing operators with a certificate as proof of how they are helping to drive sustainability. “Taking as a basis the Cons tyres fitted to the vehicles, we are able to calculate the material and carbon savings achieved during the course of production and retreading,” explains Siljana Lietz, Head of ContiLifeCycle at Continental Tires Germany.
A study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) showed that the carbon emissions of retreads are up to around 50 percent lower compared to similar new tyres. Plus, recycled and renewable materials account for as much as 85 percent of a retreaded tyre.
Conserving resources and protecting the environment with retreaded tyres
Tyre retreading is an efficient way of helping to increase a fleet’s sustainability. This method can save up to 55 kilograms of waste. ContiLifeCycle is the name given to Continental’s holistic approach that seeks to create a circular economy. “Retreading extends the tyre’s lifetime – and therefore its mileage for the fleet – by as much as 99 percent by giving it another life,” explains tyre expert Lietz. “This has the effect of lowering both costs per mile and total costs for our customers.”
ContiLifeCycle: retreading saves resources
Retreads effectively reduce environmental impact by saving raw materials, water and energy during production. Even if its tread has worn down, the casing will usually still be perfectly intact. Retreading involves removing the remaining tread rubber from the tyre and reusing the casing for a second or even a third of the tyre's life. “We are generally able to reuse around 70 percent of the original tyre,” continues Lietz. Retreaded tyres are safe and very durable.
Reducing operational costs
This makes retreaded tyres a decisive element of the ContiLifeCycle solution – one of the pillars of Continental’s innovative LODC concept. “LODC stands for Lowest Overall Driving Costs, which is our comprehensive consultancy approach that seeks to help fleet customers cut their tyre-related operational costs,” explains Ralf Benack, Head of Fleet Solutions EMEA at Continental Tires. At first glance, tyres would only seem to make up around five percent of a truck’s total operating costs. However, they also have a significant impact on fuel, maintenance and repair costs, which account for over 53 percent of total costs. This makes them a key cost lever, meaning LODC is a genuine success factor for fleet customers in tough times.
Added value for fleet customers – now with proof included
The sustainable ContiLifeCycle concept combines with Continental’s cost-focused LODC approach to offer fleet customers a wealth of benefits: hot-retreaded ContiRe tyres and cold-retreaded tyres using our ContiTread tyre treads, service-oriented casing management complete with ContiCasingAccount, plus long-lasting and fuel-efficient new tyres. This generates added value in the form of substantial cost savings and a reduced impact on the environment. ContiLifeCycle and Continental’s LODC philosophy creates sustainability that brings real benefits and can now be verified with a certificate.
