Tyre manufacturer Continental was honored by UK-based trade journal “Tire Technology International” with its 2017 Tire Manufacturer of the Year award. Continental was chosen by a panel of 27 judges from all over the world where is chose to recognise the company's efforts in its continuous investment in the fields of research & development, testing and production equipment.
Three factors proved decisive in making the panel reach their decision:
The High Performance Technology Center - testing equates to better tyres, which will in turn contribute to a better drive;
Natural rubber from dandelion roots - R&D in alternative forms of natural rubber is innovative.
A massive increase in capacity - which industry does not love increase in production capacity?
Of course, Continental have not been resting on their laurels. They have actually won this award back in 2014.
Now the reason I have taken note of this article is the Dandelion rubber research that is conducted by Continental. I have to add that if natural rubber producing countries do not buck up in terms of production costs and quality, companies that use a lot of natural rubber from rubber trees may find dandelion rubber a viable alternative.
Continental is at the forefront of such technology and they have been recognised for this by the industry. It is this reason that has actually made me take notice of this press release because Malaysia is a rubber producing country and with the fall of oil and gas prices, our crops like palm oil and to a fair bit, rubber, now contributes a fair bit more.
I do hope local rubber researchers take note! In the meantime, kudos to Continental for winning the award.
High-caliber expert panel honors tire manufacturer’s exceptional investments in research and development, testing and production equipment
Vision 2025 long-term growth strategy triggered impressive number of innovation and excellence projects in 2016
Three factors proved decisive: the High Performance Technology Center; natural rubber from dandelion roots; and a massive increase in capacity
Hanover, February 16, 2017. Last night at the Tire Technology Expo 2017, staged in Hanover
from February 14-16, Continental was honored by UK-based trade journal “Tire Technology
International” with its Tire Manufacturer of the Year award, first presented in 2008. With this
award, the high-caliber panel of 27 judges, including experts from Europe, Japan, India and the
United States, honored the investments that Continental has initiated over the past twelve
months. “We are very excited about this award because it appreciates several technology
projects and innovations that we have already realized, working consistently within the scope of
our Vision 2025 long-term growth strategy,” said Nikolai Setzer, member of the Executive Board
of Continental AG responsible for Corporate Purchasing and head of the Tire division, the world’s
fourth largest tire manufacturer with sales of more than EUR 10 billion. “At the same time, being
awarded as the most innovative tire manufacturer highly motivates our global team – now more
than 50,000 employees – to continue on this path, step by step.”
Among Continental’s innovations that persuaded the judges were the opening in June 2016 of the
High Performance Technology Center in Korbach, Germany; the Taraxagum project that involves
setting up a research center in Anklam, Germany, for the industrialization of natural rubber from
dandelion roots; and production of the first ever truck tire with tread made of dandelion rubber.
The judges also mentioned the announcement of a research and development center for
agricultural tires in Lousado, Portugal, and the expansion of Continental’s truck tire production
operations in Otrokovice, Czech Republic.
“Consumers of everything from ultra-high performance tires to agricultural ones, in markets from
Europe to China, will benefit from Continental’s outstanding commitment to investment in
research and development, testing and manufacturing in the past 12
months. Congratulations to our Tire Manufacturer of the Year!” said Graham
Heeps, editor, Tire Technology International and chairman of the judging panel. This annual
award for innovation and excellence honors particularly bright ideas and the hard work put in by
the tire design and production industry. Candidates are either nominated by the readers of Tire
Technology International or put forward by the editorial staff. The independent panel of experts
then votes to choose the winners.
In the context of its Vision 2025, since 2011 Continental has already invested more than
EUR 3 billion in the construction of new production plants in Hefei (China), Kaluga (Russia)
and Sumter (South Carolina/ USA). Thereof EUR 350 million per year has been invested in
expanding the Corporation’s existing plants around the world. Along with the construction of
Continental’s unique Automated Indoor Braking Analyzer (AIBA) at the Contidrom proving
grounds, the opening of the High Performance Technology Center (HPTC) at the Korbach,
Germany plant caused quite some attention. Through the smart networking of all its
production machinery, the HPTC generates new findings virtually in real time. These are then
communicated to Continental’s tire production plants around the world to drive further
improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. In 2016 for the first time ever Continental
produced a worldwide total of more than 150 million passenger car and light truck tires, while
at the same time achieving a much better regional balance between EMEA, The Americas
and APAC in terms of production and sales. As a result, Continental is firmly on course to
realize its Vision 2025.
Incidentally, the expert judging panel at Tire Technology International reached the same
conclusion before when Continental was also named Tire Manufacturer of the Year in 2014.
At the same time Continental was honored with the innovation award for tire production for its
so called ContiLifeCycle plant in Hannover-Stoecken that convinced the experts due to its
integrated approach of combining hot and cold retreading with a rubber recycling facility
which still is unique globally today.
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