“Tires Are the Hidden Champions”

The megatrends of digitalization and sustainability are setting the tone for the development of international ports. Whether maritime or intermodal ports, globalization and heavily used trade routes have been accelerating the development of smart ports for some time. This is also affecting suppliers. Tire manufacturer Continental aims to support terminal operators on the path to fully digitalized and sustainable ports with its smart port concept. 

Federico Jiménez has been part of the Continental family for 22 years. He is one of the brains behind the strategic direction of Continental’s port tires and also manages the business. Teck Seng Chew strengthens his team as product manager and in the implementation of the strategy. Together they share the vision of efficient and sustainable ports and drive the company’s mission forward. 

Ports and their equipment are very similar around the globe. What makes the difference is the people behind them.

“Continuous challenges lead to continuous development,” says Jiménez. Having previously been a project manager at Continental, he has traveled extensively for the company and got to know many customers personally. These experiences remain with him to this day and play an important role in his strategy. His focus is always on the individual terminal operators, their problems and how Continental can help solve them. His current role as head of Port Operation Tires allows him to make forward-looking and strategic decisions to develop the port business. Jiménez: “Ports and their equipment are very similar around the globe. What makes the difference is the people behind them. It is vital to understand the diversity of a truly international environment like a port.” For Jiménez and his team, this means exchanging ideas and regularly visiting customers to better understand their needs and create tailor-made solutions.

Teck Seng Chew is responsible for developing product strategies, making them transparent and implementing them together with an international team from various specialist areas such as research and development, production, technical customer service, logistics as well as marketing and sales. He benefits from his previous role as a key account manager in technical customer service for the Asia-Pacific region. “In my previous role, I often discussed operational challenges with port engineers and equipment operators. These experiences remind me that the solutions we develop should always be practical and sustainable,” says Chew. His goal is to create value beyond tires, which is also reflected in Continental’s mission for the port tire business: “Smart Port. Better Flow.”

Smart port mission 

It is essential to stay in touch with our customers regularly to understand their needs and observe first-hand the changes in their operations

Current megatrends such as digitalization and sustainability are reshaping international ports and thereby exerting a significant influence on Continental’s product portfolio. The way ports are managed impacts both economic developments and environmental sustainability. Jiménez and Chew regularly discuss these megatrends with each other, at port trade fairs and with customers. Continental is actively addressing this transformation process through its “Smart Port. Better Flow.” mission. “Ports are undergoing a transformation process, and we have made it our mission to enhance their safety, sustainability and efficiency,” says Jiménez. To achieve this, Continental relies on digital solutions, high-quality products and personalized advice. “It is essential to stay in touch with our customers regularly to understand their needs and observe first-hand the changes in their operations,” adds Chew.

Digital solutions: digitalization meets sustainability 

In his work, Chew observes: “Digitalized port technologies are already influencing today’s ports.” Factors such as worker shortages, geopolitical uncertainties, busy trade routes and increasing pressure on container handling capacity are driving the demand for smart ports. Additionally, there is a pressing need to meet the sustainability targets set by terminal operators themselves. Chew: “Balancing the need to increase productivity while ensuring safe and sustainable operation poses a significant challenge for terminal operators. Tires are the hidden champions here.” Thanks to modern sensor technology and telematic solutions, they are becoming an essential part of smart ports. Intelligent tires can help reduce unplanned downtime and optimize total cost of ownership through efficient fleet management.

Sensors in the tires can measure crucial data like tire pressure, temperature and vehicle movement. Technical experts at Continental can thus analyze movement and loading behavior as well as the corresponding effects on the tires. Chew: “Based on this data, we can make tailored operation recommendations beyond the scope of tires. For instance, optimizing routes and improving maintenance cycles. This helps terminal operators reduce costs and identify operational blind spots.” Continental provides various scalable digital solutions for port fleet management.

Continental itself has also set ambitious sustainability targets. The tire manufacturer aims to be the most progressive tire company in terms of environmental and social responsibility and continues to drive forward innovative technologies and sustainable solutions along the entire value chain. Jiménez: “Our intelligent tires enable our customers to meet the CO₂ emission targets of their fleets.” Efficient use of tires helps reduce emissions and minimize material waste. “Tires that are properly inflated save 1 percent more fuel compared with tires that are only 10 percent under-inflated,” states Jiménez. In addition, they increase service life by up to 20 percent. “With our leading position in port tires and as an automotive provider, I am convinced that we can help our customers to operate more efficiently and sustainably,” concludes Jiménez.