LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Continental AG, a giant German manufacturer with more than $35 billion in annual revenue, used its time here at the Mid-America Trucking Show to boost attention for one of its smaller brands, 100-year-old General Tire.
Alex Chmiel, marketing director for Continental Tires in the Americas, said March 25 that General was started in Mount Vernon, Illinois, in 1915. Continental bought General in 1987.
Chmiel said Continental wants to reinvigorate General as an American brand for small, medium-duty fleets.
“The focus will be on demonstrating tires with durability and that get good mileage,” he said.
Although Continental is much larger and well-known, the corporation does not want to scrap the General name.
“It’s an all-American brand,” Chmiel said.
Continental Tires markets its products as being technologically advanced, he said, whereas General will be marketed as dependable, reliable and less costly — a bargain brand.
Chmiel, who works in the company’s U.S. headquarters in Fort Mill, South Carolina, said General’s truck tires are for medium-duty trucks, not Class 8 models. The only exception is that General makes heavy-duty trailer tires, he said.
The highway truck tires, for steer axles, drive axles and trailers, will be rolled out during the course of this year, Chmiel said.
