Continental, Caterpillar team up for tire design

Hanover, Germany – Continental AG and Caterpillar Inc. have agreed to collaborate on designing new tires for Caterpillar medium wheel loaders and articulated dump trucks.

The deal comes just a year and a half after Continental relaunched its OTR tire division.

The companies also disclosed that Conti has secured an OE supply contract with Caterpillar for a pair of Cat off-highway trucks – model series 770 to 775 – with Continental RDT-Master tires in sizes 18.00R33, 21.00R33 and 24.00R35.

Jan Skaletz, Conti's key account manager for OTR tires, said this cooperation "underlines the significance that Caterpillar places in innovative technology, the customized solution approach and leading-edge technology that Continental now offers in this new industry segment."

Continental's RDT-Master tires feature all-steel radial casings and belt packages for cut and impact resistance. They will be listed on Caterpillar price lists starting in 2017 and can be specified by Caterpillar dealers and end users as first fit tires on new equipment orders, Conti said.

Caterpillar did not comment on the agreement.

Caterpillar offers 25 versions of its medium wheel loader, a four-wheel heavy-duty machine that uses 25-inch L3-type or 29-inch L4 radials depending on application, and 11 versions of the three-axle/six-wheel-drive articulated dump truck, which runs on 25-inch radials.