Germany-based Continental, a premium tyre manufacturer and international automotive supplier, has announced an 11 per cent growth in net sales in the Middle East at its annual regional retail partner conference, held recently in the UAE.

The company’s growth in 2016 is a testament to the ongoing support of the brand’s partners and customers’ recognition of its high quality of tyres, said a statement from the company.

Continental has also outlined its plans for the Middle East market in 2017, which included opening some 58 new retail outlets across the region, it said.

This increased investment will see a rise in numbers of staff, enhanced storage and distribution facilities and new products designed especially for the region, it added.

With the company’s regional partners anticipating the added infrastructure to boost sales, the new stores will give consumers the level of service and tyre expertise they might not expect to find at a standard garage or tyre shop, said a statement.

With highly trained tyre specialists offering advice on the best product to meet their needs, at the new retail outlets customers will enjoy a full range of services, all delivered to Continental’s exacting, German standards.

In the previous year, Continental opened a number of new retail outlets across the Middle East, most recently in Egypt and the UAE, to help address the growing demand for the brand’s ultra-high performance products.

Continental also collected an award for ‘Best Public Awareness Campaign’ from the Qatar Transport Safety Forum for its efforts in the field of transport safety through its Vision Zero campaign.

Senior executives in attendance at the conference included Dr Hartmut Woehler, head of marketing and sales PLT replacement in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA); Jon Ander Garcia, general manager for Spain and business development for Middle East and Africa (MEA); and Jose Luis de la Fuente, managing director of Continental Middle East.

They were joined by representatives from the company’s sister brands: General Tire, Barum, Matador and Uniroyal.

Woehler said: “We are very fortunate to have a strong retail network in the region, with partners who truly know what Continental and our customers need.”

“Our retailers are perfectly placed to better understand the market via their experience and the availability of premium facilities. This conference is a prime opportunity for us to continue to build on our relationships,” he added.

Garcia commented: “The Middle East region is a key growth market for our company, and our investment in both the region itself and in products designed specifically for the region demonstrates our commitment to better understanding the needs of customers here and to deliver them the quality of service and products that they seek.”

Luis de la Fuente added: “Our company has gone from strength to strength in the region since opening its Middle East headquarters in 2015, while our collaboration with our partners across the region has grown deeper and more fruitful.”

“The planned launches across the Middle East for 2017 will give us a strong platform for future growth,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service