With misinformation and misconceptions about retread tyres prevalent across the commercial vehicle sector, Continental Tyres UK has today launched ‘Respect for Retreads’ – a new education and awareness campaign that seeks to address operators’ concerns about remanufactured rubber.
Retread Education Campaign by Continental
- Two-thirds of surveyed fleets avoid retreads due to quality fears; almost half of those believe retread tyres suffer from durability issues.
- Dedicated guides, video series, thought leadership, and myth-busting posts are among the content set to be published.
- Further Continental-conducted research will be shared in the coming weeks.
In a Continental Tyres-commissioned survey of more than 700 UK-based fleets, only a third (33%) said that they fit retread tyres to their vehicles. Of those who opt not to, two-thirds (62.5%) admitted their decision was based on the perceived quality of retreads. Almost half (46.5%) also reported concerns about retread durability as a reason to specify new tyres exclusively.
Although the image and reputation of retread tyres have improved significantly in recent years, Continental’s data proves that a lack of trust is limiting their adoption. “Experience tells us that retread tyre opinions are often handed down from generation to generation,” said Tony Mailling, Head of Hot Retread Production EMEA at Continental Tyres and Plant Manager of ContiLifeCycle Ivybridge and Stöcken.
“Historically, retreads have been seen as a lesser product and assumptions about their quality and durability are made because they use reused parts. We hear stories of drivers mistakenly believing that retreads are the reason rubber chunks are found along the road. This simply isn’t the case. We’re here to reassure operators that retreads from reputable brands are just as good as a new tyre. In many cases, retreads offer benefits that new tyres simply cannot match.”
The campaign will see Continental bolster its Tyre IQ education portal, which is freely accessible on the Continental website, with additional content focused specifically on retread tyres. A dedicated content series on Continental’s social media channels will seek to debunk the many myths circulating about retreading. Further research and thought leadership will be shared with the media and directly to customers in the coming months.
Pete Robb, Marketing Director at Continental Tyres UK, said: “Retreading is long overdue its moment in the spotlight. Businesses are too often missing out on reducing their operating costs and enhancing their environmental credentials because of a perception that remanufactured tyres are inferior. With hundreds of truck tyres replaced every day in the UK, retreading not only benefits fleets, but helps to reduce the number of tyres being disposed.”
Businesses such as the waste management, demolition, and recycling firm Collard Group are already experiencing the benefits retread tyres can bring to fleet operations. By fitting specialist, off-road optimised retread tyres across its fleet, the firm saw its blowout rate halve, cutting vehicle downtime and improving operational safety.
