LAS VEGAS — Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket has added a line of premium "beam" style windshield wiper blades to its portfolio of North American aftermarket products that it markets to repair shops to help them cut inventory and installation time.
The new line, dubbed Continental ClearContact, is being marketed primarily to the professional technician market — auto repair shops, tire dealerships, etc. — according to Jeffrey Ross, Product Management Supervisor, Vehicle Networking and Information (VNI) Commercial Vehicles and Services (CVS), and thus complements existing aftermarket components in the Continental portfolio as well as leverages the Contact name used on Conti-brand tires.
The new line debuted at the 2019 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo in Las Vegas last November.
ClearContact windshield wiper blades feature an "advanced' beam design for even pressure across the windshield surface and are available for both front and rear wiper applications, the Allentown-based business unit said. The blaes use a natural rubber-based compound that resists UV light and harsh environmental conditions to remain flexible and provide long service life.
The front blades feature an all beam design and are available in 14 part numbers covering lengths from 15 to 28 inches. The rear wipers are offered with 19 part numbers in lengths from 10 to 16 inches. The program provides 94% coverage of the 258 million light vehicles in use in the U.S. and Canada, Conti said.
The blades also feature a "plug & play" connector design that does do not require adapters and comes fitted with the right connection needed for the vehicle.
The new line is derived from the AquaCTRL wiper blade line parent Continental A.G. launched in Europe in 2018.