Continental Matador Rubber Gears Up for Production of Low-Rolling Resistance Tyres

Continental Matador Rubber (CMR) has announced that its factory in Puchov, Slovakia is gearing up for the production of low rolling resistance tyres (LRRT). This production transition is scheduled to occur in two stages, the first of which is already underway with the gradual introduction of the ContiEcoContact 5 and ContiSportContact 5 into the plant’s production mix. The company says several sizes are already been in serial production, incl. three sizes for the original equipment of Mercedes-Benz cars. Further sizes will be introduced later this year.

In the second stage, the sizes already in serial production will gradually be subject to structural modification in order to reduce their rolling resistance. This change will bring along the introduction of other new tread compounds, the adjustment of extruded profiles and the coring of bead wires with high core for LCV tyres. Implementation of this stage is planned in the second half of 2011 and the first half of 2012.