Continental pitching farm tires, rubber track systems at Farm Progress Show

BOONE, Iowa — Continental Tire the Americas' appearance at this year's Farm Progress Show in Boone marks the company's re-entry to the farm tire segment in North America after a 14-year hiatus, as well as a platform to promote growth of its Trackman rubber track business.

Conti's first two farm tire products, the Tractor70 and Tractor85, feature the company's "N.flex technology" and have a special bead design with a single wire core designed for improved strength to reduce the risk of damage.

The premium radial drive tires — built at Conti's recently expanded plant in Oporto, Portugal — initially are available in 14 sizes, Conti said, but the plan is to expand the portfolio to 100 sizes by 2019.

The N.flex technology incorporates a nylon carcass designed for high impact resistance, Conti said, which facilitates the tires' ability to return to their original shape without permanent deformation.

"We at Continental are very excited to re-enter the agriculture tire segment in the Americas region after a 14-year hiatus," Matthew Futrelle, sales and marketing manager for Continental Commercial Specialty Tires US/Canada, said.

"We think our ability to supply premium quality farm tires with N.flex technology and our innovative bead designs will give us a competitive advantage for our market re-entry," he said, adding that the company is building a distribution network and is looking for partners in certain markets.

Conti's re-entry into farm tires is part of the firm's Commercial Specialty Tires business unit's growth strategy that started three years ago with the debut of the company's construction/mining tire portfolio.

At the same time, Conti is promoting a collaboration with Unverferth Manufacturing Co. Inc. to launch what the partners are calling the industry's largest rubber track and undercarriage system — the 50-inch-wide Equalizer Track System.

This product, said to be the largest track for grain carts on the market, provides a larger footprint and optimized ground contact with less ground pressure, Conti said, which promotes soil health.

Rob Schultz, Continental's global product manager for rubber track, said the development of this product "recognizes Continental's continued commitment to innovation, engineering and setting the standards in the industries in which we compete."

Conti's Trackman XP rubber track features anti-vibration technology that reduces vibration by as much as 70 percent versus standard track, as well as molded drive lugs with "Armorlug" and "Armorlug Ultra" technologies and four layers of "MaxxTuff" steel-cord reinforced carcass.