FRANKFURT, Germany—Continental A.G. is venturing further into Europe's automotive aftermarket with the recent release of its Aquactrl wiper blades.
The firm, which already provides aftermarket windshield and headlight washer systems, said the addition of wiper blades to its product range was "logical step" in its expansion.
"We're leveraging our extensive know-how and our expertise in rubber products to offer garages and drivers another spare part in OE quality," Peter Wagner, Independent Aftermarket vice president and managing director of Continental Aftermarket GmbH, said in a statement. "And wiper blades are just the first step. We're going to add new products and move into areas of the aftermarket where we haven't been before."
The Aquactrl wiper blades are designed to distribute pressure across the blade to ensure clearing of water from the windshield. A patented spoiler helps to press the blade against the windshield even at high speeds and under strong wind conditions, Continental said.
"We tested the blades together with the German Technical Inspection Authority TUV Nord, according to numerous criteria in the SAE J 903 standard," said Harald Braunberger, who is responsible for the product. "The blades performed better than competing products and clearly demonstrated their effectiveness. In the dynamic wiping quality test they had perfect wiping results at very high speeds."
The Aquactrl line includes 21 different front and rear wiper blades with 46 sets for the driver and passenger sides. They are fitted to about 95 percent of the cars on Europe's roadways, Continental said.
Continental added that the wiper blades have pre-installed adapters allowing for easier installation.