Industrial Super Elastic tyres from Continental have won the approval of Milch-Union Hocheifel. Following a test phase, the company's forklifts will gradually change over to the Continental SC20 Clean. Clean tires are particularly valued where cleanliness is of paramount importance, e.g. in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industry. However, further characteristics such as low operating and usage costs, a long service life, high stability and low rolling resistance are also of major importance

One of the twelve important customer segments for Continental's Industrial Tires business unit is the food industry. Cleanliness has utmost priority when it comes to food. At Milch-Union Hocheifel, the systems and floors undergo permanent cleaning. Nevertheless, the heavy loads have to be moved by machines. For example, pallets containing packaging material are delivered to the packaging machines, and end products are transported to the warehouse. Black tire abrasion on the bright floors is not desirable. Since this could be deposited on surfaces in the production facility and on products, clean tires are used.

"The overall costs play an important role with these highly-specialized products as well," declares Dr Michael A. M?rtens, head of the Continental Industrial Tires business unit. "The purchase price is only one element in addition to the mileage, rolling resistance and the resulting energy consumption and maintenance outlay." Advantages arising from low overall costs are offered by the Continental SC20. This member of the Super Elastics family is a tire whose Clean design can set the benchmark regarding cost-effectiveness and environmental compatibility. Its profile ensures outstanding driving characteristics, the low rolling resistance guarantees low energy consumption and the large tread volume promises a long service life. This innovative tire is available in a Clean design for many dimensions for wheel rim diameters of 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 20 and 24 inches.

The robust solid tire is certified for up to 25 km/h and due to its innovative construction delivers high mileage with a low rolling resistance that contributes to reduced CO2 emissions.

One of the most modern companies in the European milk industry is now using this Continental SC20 Clean more and more often. In its Pronsfeld plant alone, Milch-Union-Hocheifel eG transforms more than three million liters of milk from 160,000 cows into tasty products every day. These are then sold not only in the west and south west of Germany but also in the north east of France as well as Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and almost all other EU member states.

On the 31-hectare plant premises, more than one billion kilograms of milk have been transformed into products since 2008. These are known to wide sections of the public in packages containing the label "Ja!" ("Yes!"). The hygiene regulations - as is standard practice in the food industry - are high. Accordingly, the forklifts wear bright "shoes" in the form of Clean tires. The dimensions used at MUH are 125/75-8, 180/70-8 and 225/75-10. In addition to around 60 dedicated trucks from vehicle manufacturers such as MAN, Mercedes and Iveco, a total of 42 forklifts are used. These are constantly kept in line with the latest technological standards and serviced by the company's own workshop. "Milch-Union Hocheifel particularly appreciates the mileage of the SC20 Clean," says Wolfgang Rommel, Head of Marketing and Communication at Milch-Union. "The mileage and operational reliability are good, there are no problems, no tire failures and the service offered for the product is good. More and more of our forklifts run on the SC20 Clean as Milch-Union Hocheifel wants to ensure optimum transport conditions, both from an economic as well as an ecological perspective."

Continental offers a large selection of solid tires in the form of bright Clean models. These include the type MH20 Clean and MC20 Clean bindings as well as the SH12 Clean model.