Continental Adds Tiger Trailers to Fleet

Continental, one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers, has further bolstered its UK articulated fleet through the addition of seven more box vans from Tiger Trailers, with this particular order divided into two different products to suit its operational requirements.

The tyre firm’s first Tiger order for 2023 is comprised of five 4.2m high box van trailers for their next day regional truck tyre delivery and casing collection business, and a pair of 4.8m tall ‘high cube’ variants, equipping Continental with increased load capacity for inter-depot trunking and waste recycling activities.

Continental’s new standard-height 4200mm trailers are fitted with an LED strip-light facing down at the rear to light up the working area for operator safety, and with cycle warning sideguards, which align with Tiger’s own aims as demonstrated through the Tiger Safety Team’s school road safety programme.

The trailers’ specification also includes a GRP translucent roof with wooden rub rails, a bespoke load securing setup including nets, an Anteo 1,500kg tuckaway tail-lift with safety gates, and solar panels from Trailar. The 4800mm high-cube iterations are equipped with full aerodynamic sideguards to reduce CO2 and increase fuel efficiency, and the trailers and their cargos are protected from damage through the incorporation of full-coverage overlay floor tread plates and full-length wooden rub rails fitted below and above each load lock row. Both heights are finished with the international company’s ultra-distinctive livery and are fitted with its in-house tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) interfaced into the ContiConnect 2.0 web-based platform for safety and efficiency purposes.

Simon Sumner, Continental’s Transport Operations Manager, comments: “Tiger Trailers have taken time to fully understand our business and its challenges, identify our requirements, then design and build trailers that suit our unique operation. Features for functionality, longevity and safety in operation have been engineered in by Tiger without compromise. The trailers perform exceptionally well and have a very impressive presence on the road. Tiger Trailers deliver a premium product in line with Continental’s position as a premium brand. It is a pleasure to work with Tom and the rest of the team at Tiger and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership.”

Continental acquired re-tread tyre manufacturer Bandvulc in 2016 and Tiger’s first trailers wore Bandvulc’s distinctive black livery with yellow logo. The latest Tiger-built trailers were collected by a pair of the group’s new MAN TGX 26.510 tractors from Bandvulc’s Ivybridge Plant in Devon, and the fleet serves the UK via a number of strategic sites including Continental’s regional distribution centre (RDC) in Rugby, which stocks passenger car, truck and specialty tyres. Continental placed its first order with Tiger Trailers in 2020, followed by further orders in 2022, before taking delivery of this latest batch of box trailers in early 2023.

Thomas Stott, Tiger Trailer’s Technical Sales Manager, says: “We are proud to continue supporting Continental with what is now the third year of articulated trailer supply. Simon and the team are great to work with in tailoring the specification and ensuring that the end product meets their requirements. It’s brilliant to see such an iconic livery and eye-catching colour out on the road complete with Tiger badges and we look forward to continuing to support the customer in subsequent years.”

Tiger Trailers is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of articulated semi-trailers and rigid bodywork. Based in Cheshire and soon celebrating its 10th year in business, the firm builds the complete range, from curtain-siders, fixed and moving double decks and flatbeds, to temperature-controlled trailers, specialist vehicles and demounts.