- Resilient materials for tough and long-lasting interiors
- Seating material remains tear-resistant even under the rugged conditions of agriculture
- Dirt-repellent and easy to clean surfaces for agricultural machinery cabs
Hanover, November 11, 2019. The technology company Continental supports the agriculture industry with surface materials that were specifically developed for rugged field work. Extreme weather, which is growing more and more frequent, poses serious challenges for agricultural businesses and their employees – as well as the surface materials that are installed in the machines. “We recognized the increasing challenges in the branch early on and offer appropriate solutions for all applications”, says Jens Wolandewitsch, the marketing director for commercial vehicles and flooring applications for the surface specialists of Continental.
The right solution for every application
The working conditions in agriculture are sometimes rugged: extreme temperatures, rain or drought, dust and dirt are tough on the materials. Add to this seasonal long working hours with the attendant high stress on the material. Surfaces in the vehicle cabs must stand up to all of that. For this reason, surface materials that are used in the agriculture industry are particularly resistant to scratching and abrasion. The optimized, PVC-based materials used in the cab area are the reason that they are so tough and long-lasting. In addition, they are dirt-repellent and easy to clean. For example, the PVC and TPO materials of the surface films for cab floors are particularly resistant to wear and scratching. In addition, they are impervious to most chemicals and oils.
Another example: Acella Protect ensures a comfortable surface for seats and headrests with an individual look and feel. Due to its composition, the material remains flexible even with extreme fluctuations in temperature and loses none of its characteristics, even at -20 °C. In cold environments, it is 100 to 150 percent more resistant to cracking than conventional upholstery materials.
Yorn foam film, which is as soft as it is robust, is suitable for roof liners and trim. It offers users flexibility due to its various processing possibilities: the film can be deep-drawn, pressed, or back-foamed. This makes a broad spectrum of colors and grain designs possible. With this material, two-tone component variants can be manufactured in just a single process step – and the system costs can be optimized.
Comfortable environment for the driver
Fieldwork requires the utmost concentration from the employees in the cab. For that reason, farmers also expect optimum comfort from the cab interior.
“Our broad portfolio of robust service materials takes this aspect into consideration and offers the driver a comfortable environment. This makes efficient and pleasant work possible”, explains Wolandewitsch.
At the leading industry trade fair Agritechnica (November 10 – 16) in Hanover, Continental is bundling its competences from all company areas into one cab model. Visitors to the booth C22 in hall 04 will be able to experience the enormous impact that surface materials have on the cab interior, which combines longevity, cost effectiveness, and driver comfort.