Continental is the first manufacturer to launch a series of tyres with 65% sustainable materials and triple A on the label: the UltraContact NXT
The CEO of the company, Niko Setzer, has presented to the media convoked around the world, during the Techshow event held in Frankfurt, the tyre of the most sustainable series manufactured to date: the UltraContact NXT. With up to 65% of renewable materials, recycled and mass balance certificates, it combines a remarkably high proportion of sustainable materials with maximum security and performance. Continental is the first manufacturer that launches a tyre with a high proportion of sustainable materials and the maximum performance with the EU tyre label in a series production. The 19 dimensions available will carry the maximum possible qualification (“A”) of the EU tyre label in rolling resistance, wet braking and exterior noise.
The UltraContact NXT will be available for tyre distributors in Europe this month of July.
“At Continental, security, performance and sustainability come hand in hand. With the UltraContact NXT, we fulfill our ambitious sustainability objectives. This development represents an important leap forward and demonstrates our technological leadership, as well as our firm’s commitment to sustainability and security”, affirms Ferdinand Hoyos, director of Continental’s EMEA Tyre Business Area. “With its impressive performances, the UltraContact NXT brings sustainability to the NXT level,” he added.
A function of the pneumatic dimension, the UltraContact NXT is manufactured with up to 65 per cent of renewable and recycled materials. Renewable materials represent up to 32 per cent, while the proportion of recyclable materials is 5 per cent. In addition, Continental has obtained up to 28 per cent of ISCC PLUS certified materials of biological origin, bio-recoverable and circular economy raw materials.
Renewable materials represent up to 32 per cent in the UltraContact NXT. This includes resins based on waste materials from the paper and wood industries. Used in tires, the resins allow very flexible compounds that improve the grip of the material. El Ultra Contact NXT contains silica from rice husk ashes. The rice husk is an agricultural residue that can be transformed into silica by means of a new process that consumes less energy. Like all tyres, natural rubber is a key material of the UltraContact NXT. It is still indispensable, because it guarantees the best pneumatic performance properties thanks to its high level of resistance and durability.
The logo CRM “Contains recycled materials” appearing on the sidewall of the tyre underlines the use of recycled materials in this tyre line. The ratio of recycled materials reaches 50 per cent. The tyre contains recycled rubber material, which comes from mechanically processed end-of-use tyres. In addition, Continental uses recycled steel in the UltraContact NXT.
The newly introduced innovative technology ContiRe.Tex has also been adopted for the UltraContact NXT. The high-performance polyester fibres that are used to reinforce the tyre casing come from recycling PET bottles, which otherwise would have ended up in incinerators or landfills. With the ContiRe.Tex technology, Continental has developed an alternative that is more energy efficient and respectful of the environment that allows it to recycle between nine and fifteen plastic bottles for each tyre, depending on its dimensions. Continental aspires to have its tyre production operations be totally circular by 2050 a, at the latest.
Sustainably certified and carbon-neutral materials include sustainable synthetic rubber and carbon black
For the UltraContact NXT, Continental uses up to 28 per cent of sustainable materials certified by ISCC PLUS. It is a sustainable synthetic rubber and carbon black manufactured from biological, bio recoverable and/or circular raw materials. The synthetic rubber is an ingredient that defines the performance of modern tyres for cars because its properties can be designed specifically for its application. Recovered carbon black is used in rubber compounds to optimise the stability, resistance and durability of the tires. The ISCC Plus certification guarantees transparency and traceability in all supply chains, monitoring the origin and characteristics of raw materials, verification of compliance with sustainable criteria and certification of the resulting products.
Advance systematically towards greater sustainability
Continental works tirelessly to develop innovative technologies and sustainable products and services throughout its value chain, from the supply of materials to the recycling of tyres at the end of their useful life. By 2030, the manufacture of premium tyres is targeted to have more than 40 per cent of renewable and recycled content in all its new production tires. The UltraContact NXT is an important step to meet these ambitious sustainability objectives and become the most avant-garde tyre manufacturer as it establishes its programme for strategic Vision 2030.
