Continental is leaving the agricultural tire market

The company Continental announced that by the end of 2025, it will cease production of agricultural tires, and the Commercial Specialty Tires division will continue to produce tires for loading and unloading, earthmoving, and port operations.

The company notes that the decision to leave the agricultural tire market was made following a "comprehensive review of the business". "The agricultural tire market has undergone significant changes in recent years, and Continental's ambitions are no longer compatible with its growing commoditization [the process by which goods become impersonal, and consumers pay less attention to brands]"

The exit from the agricultural tire market will primarily affect the workers of the plant in Lousado (Portugal), and Continental assured that they will provide support to them and, as expected, will be able to offer alternative jobs to most employees within the company.

"We are proud of the contribution that our team has made to the development of the agricultural industry," said Paul Williams, Director of Continental Commercial Specialty Tires. "The change in strategy will allow us to more effectively develop our advantages in the tire markets for other segments"

By the end of the year, Continental intends to fulfill all obligations for the supply of its agricultural tires from the TractorMaster, Tractor70, Tractor85, CombineMaster, and CompactMaster lines, and the company will also continue to produce its multi-purpose tires, which combine the properties of industrial, agricultural, and freight tires.

Continental resumed production of agricultural tires in 2017. From 2004 to 2016, Continental tires were produced under license by the Czech company Mitas, which in 2015 announced that it had replaced the German brand in the premium segment with its own Mitas Premium brand.

Continental manufactured its first pneumatic agricultural tire almost 100 years ago, in 1928.