At Agritechnica 2023, Continental presented its portfolio for the agricultural sector. During the first day’s press conference, Executive Board members Christian Kötz and Philip Nelles pointed out the importance of the agricultural business as a strategic, fast-growing segment.
At Agritechnica 2023, Continental presented its broad product and service portfolio for the agricultural sector
Under the tagline “Our Smart Farming. For your harvest of tomorrow”, the company is presenting a diverse range of sustainable and technologically advanced solutions and concepts – from tyre technology to autonomous robotic solutions. All of them have been developed specifically with agricultural applications in mind, proving how important it is to understand customer requirements. Insights from Continental’s study “Agriculture in Transition”, was also be shared at the press conference, including how farmers see sustainability as one of the main challenges for the future. The study confirms that most farmers take this responsibility very seriously while trying to tackle the challenge of adapting to new conditions caused by environmental change.
From carbon goals to green robots: Continental’s vision for the next age of farming
One of the smart solutions presented at Agritechnica is an environmentally friendly weed control system, designed and developed by Continental Engineering Services (CES), which specializes in providing development services for technology companies across multiple industries. The prototype is based on optical sensor technology and supported by automotive-grade software and AI. The system provides an efficient and precise organic method of agricultural weed control by accurately detecting weeds and eradicating them with boiling water instead of herbicides. “This concept demonstrates not just our expertise in agriculture and our ability to develop new technologies, but also how we adapt existing technologies to offer solutions for upcoming needs,” said Nelles.
To ease the transition to smart farming, Continental has launched user-friendly technologies like ContiConnect Lite, the entry to digital tyre monitoring. Thanks to a Bluetooth enabled sensor inside the tyre, the system gives farmers easy access to essential tyre data directly on their mobile devices. No additional hardware is needed. This allows efficient operations, reduced emissions and significant cost savings by helping farmers set the right tyre pressure before starting work in the field.
Continental’s robotic system for greenhouses can accommodate various devices
Another solution presented at Agritechnica is Continental’s mobile robotic system for greenhouses. This initiative uses a modular design, centered around a self-propelled robotic platform that can accommodate various implements to autonomously perform tasks such as UVC treatment, targeted harvesting and monitoring, around the clock. Furthermore, Continental is proud to showcase three products developed specifically for the agricultural sector that have received the official seal of approval of the Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (DLG). The VF TractorMaster Hybrid tyre underscores the performance of the new generation of Continental agricultural tyres with its fuel-efficient and soil-friendly tyre technology. NightViu LED Working Lights improve visibility even during night harvests with high light-efficiency, and the ProViu 360 surround-view camera system increases safety for machine operators as well as their direct surroundings.
Continental’s growth strategy: emphasising innovation in the agricultural sector
The agricultural sector has experienced continuous growth in recent decades and is an important strategic segment for the Continental Group. Christian Kötz, Member of the Executive Board for the Group Sector Tyres, underlined the group sector’s focus on its “Vision 2030” strategy, a commitment to lead the global tyre industry into a future of sustainable, innovative solutions with consistent customer orientation. The strategy emphasises the company’s growth, operational excellence and innovation, especially in agricultural tyre technology.
“Since our re-entry into the agricultural tyre business in 2017, we have experienced continued growth. Leading OEMs rely on our products for their original equipment,” said Christian Kötz. “With a portfolio that now includes around 110 items in nine different product lines for agricultural machinery, we are serving the market with tailor-made advanced tyre technology for optimized total cost of ownership.”
Philip Nelles added: “At ContiTech, we have successfully completed eight acquisitions in agriculture technology in the recent years. At the same time, we have extended the agricultural footprint within our own organization at seven Continental locations across the world. We aim to expand this growth even further.”
