OREANDA-NEWS. October 01, 2010. TATNEFT and Continental AG have signed an agreement for manufacturing tires with solid steel cord under the off-take system at the production works of Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory. The contract plans provide for production of 20 tire models of different sizes in the amount of 200 thousand pieces in 2011, reported the press-centre of TATNEFT.

When signing the contract TATNEFT was represented by Zagit Sharafeev, Deputy General Director of TATNEFT - Director of Tatneft-Neftekhim Management Company, and the foreign party was represented by Bird Gunter, Vice President of Continental AG.

The first batch of products under the brand of Continental, designed for both Russian consumers and customers in Europe, will come off the assembly line of Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory in January 2011. The number of models manufactured will increase gradually.

TATNEFT has purposefully been investing in tire production placing emphasis on quality and innovation. The research-and-development base formed over many years and carefully preserved in the hard years period enables the Nizhnekamsk tire holding company of oilmen to develop and produce new models of tires as quickly as possible while the technological component provides for high quality products.

The success of an integrated approach to meeting the challenges of modernization of the tire production facilities owned by TATNEFT has been proved by the fact that passenger car and light truck tires of Nizhnekamsk Factory production have been approved for delivery usage by leading automobile manufacturers - Volkswagen and Fiat. The agreement signed with Continental AG continues the chain of recognition of the high quality of all manufactured products range.

Conclusion of the agreement between Continental AG and Nizhnekamsk tire manufacturers is based on the rapidly growing dealer network, which allows selling the products at traditional markets and developing new ones. The extensive sales network is a prerequisite of efficient relationship with end users.

The agreement signed with Continental AG is another confirmation that TATNEFT is confidently wearing "the yellow leader's sports shirt" of the Russian tire market and has all possibilities for implementing the most ambitious plans. Business partners are confident that this cooperation has a promising future, and this is explained both by full mutual understanding of the business organization and by the desire of OAO TATNEFT management to become a true leader of the Russian tire market.