Continental Tire

Continental Tire’s Mt. Vernon, Illinois, USA manufacturing plant and warehouse manage the complete tire development process from design to production to delivery. The facility spans approximately 70 acres under one roof and produces passenger, light truck, and commercial tires. The facility uses industrial vehicles across its manufacturing plant and warehouse.

The challenge  

Continental Tire’s fleet and rolling stock leadership identified several challenges within their industrial vehicle operations. The team wanted to reduce abuse and damage associated with industrial vehicles, improve safety, and increase operator accountability. They also needed better visibility into vehicle utilization, real-time activity data, and accurate information to help benchmark and optimize equipment productivity. 

The facility also faced OSHA-related checklist compliance issues. Paper-based inspections created blind compliance, added administrative burden for production and safety teams, and made it difficult to ensure inspection accuracy and equipment readiness. 

The solution 

Continental Tire implemented Powerfleet’s on-site solutions to address its safety, productivity, and efficiency needs. With the on-vehicle device, each operator must log in before operating the vehicle, ensuring only trained personnel can operate the equipment. The system enforces electronic OSHA safety checklists and can disable vehicles when inspections are not completed. 

Powerfleet provides real-time visibility into vehicle activity, utilization data, and operator behavior. Managers can send text messages to operators as work requirements change, reducing the need for radios and improving communication across the facility. 

Continental Tire also uses Powerfleet’s maintenance functionality to schedule preventive maintenance based on actual vehicle usage instead of calendar intervals. Service providers receive automated notifications and can locate equipment through the software to plan maintenance activities with less disruption. 

Results 

1. Safety improvements

Industrial vehicle operators often use equipment carelessly, and managers are not always notified of unsafe conditions that may cause damage to facilities, racks, or inventory. Powerfleet increases accountability by requiring operators to log in and take responsibility for vehicle behavior. This heightened accountability has increased operator awareness and reduced unsafe operation. 

“An increase in safety and awareness is definitely our number one priority. Near misses are just as bad as actual accidents. It is our goal to do everything in our power to create the safest working environment possible.” 

Continental Tire has forecasted a 33% reduction in vehicle-related damage in the warehouse alone. 

2. OSHA safety checklists

Before deployment, Continental Tire relied on paper checklists that were often completed without proper evaluation. This required significant administrative effort to collect and manage forms. Powerfleet’s on-vehicle checklist prompts require operators to complete safety inspections before each shift or use. Results are stored electronically, allowing management to review operator compliance and identify issues earlier to prevent major repairs. 

3. Fleet reduction and productivity 

Powerfleet enables Continental Tire to capture comprehensive vehicle utilization data that supports informed right-sizing decisions. By evaluating productivity data, the facility eliminated a truck from the warehouse and removed three vacant staffing positions associated with that vehicle, resulting in more than $100,000 in total savings. 

Productivity also increased through the evaluation and benchmarking of vehicle and personnel activity. Managers use the text messaging module to send real-time instructions as work requirements change, virtually eliminating the need for two-way radios.  

“The data we are gathering is invaluable. It’s like having an industrial engineer riding on every forklift 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” 

4. Maintenance benefits 

Powerfleet’s preventive maintenance module notifies service providers based on actual vehicle use. This ensures compliance with warranty requirements and allows maintenance teams to plan service with less operational disruption. Using Powerfleet’s solution, service providers can view each vehicle’s real-time location, reducing time spent searching for equipment and increasing time spent on repairs. 

Customer perspective 

Continental Tire’s fleet leadership highlighted the impact that Powerfleet’s solution has had on visibility, productivity, and long-term operational goals.