Continental Car Tyres - Continental Ag Since 1871

140 Years Continental 1871– 2011

The rampant horse is adopted as trademark.

Production of automobile pneumatic tires without tread pattern starts in Hanover-Vahrenwald.

1871

1882

Continental-Caoutchoucund Gutta-Percha Compagnie is founded in Hanover on October 8 as a joint stock company. Manufacturing at the main factory in Vahrenwalder Street includes soft rubber products, rubberized fabrics, solid tires for carriages and bicycles.

1892

1898

Continental is the first German company to manufacture pneumatic tires for bicycles.

The first German airship LZ 1 uses Continental balloon material to seal the gas bags.

1900

The first edition of Continental’s Road Atlas for motorists and motorcyclists is published.

Continental presents the world’s first automobile tire with a patterned tread.

1901

1904

The first Daimlerproduced car to be called Mercedes achieves a sensational victory on Continental pneumatics in the Nice-Salon-Nice car race.

1905

1907

Continental produces riveted anti-skid tires, a forerunner of steel-studded tires.

Continental invents the detachable rim for sedans – a remarkable innovation to help save time and effort when changing a tire.

1908

Louis Blériot, the pioneer aviator, writes history with the first flight across the English Channel. Continental Aeroplan material covers the fuselage and wings of his plane. Specimens of synthetic rubber developed at the Bayer laboratories are successfully vulcanized at Continental and processed to make the first test tires. 1909

Construction of an administration building designed by architect Peter Behrens begins in Vahrenwalder Street. In 1986, this building is bought by the Hanover City Council to house a technology center.

1912

1914

Triple victory for Daimlers fitted with Continental tires at the French Grand Prix.

Carbon black is used as a reinforcing filler to give the tire more resistance to wear and ageing, as well as its characteristic color. Merger with major companies of the German rubber industry to form Continental GummiWerke AG. Takeover of plants in Hanover-Limmer and Korbach/Hesse.

1921

1926

The company’s 50th anniversary sees Continental as the first German company to bring the cord tire onto the market. The stiff linen square-woven fabric is thus replaced by the more pliable cord fiber fabric. The first giant pneumatic tires are made by Continental and replace the solid tires used until that time on commercial vehicles.

1928/29

Continental markets a rubber-metal bonding under the registered trade name of Continental Schwingmetall. It is used to isolate vibrations and noise when supporting motors.

1932

Unbroken run of racing success with Continental racing tires fitted to Mercedes and Auto-Union cars. Four consecutive wins in the German Grand Prix, four successes inthe North African Tripoli race, three in Italy and numerous speed records help racing drivers like Carraciola, Rosemeyer and Stuck to achieve international fame.

1935-40

1936

Foundation stone is laid for the tire plant in Stöcken, Hanover. 1938

1943

Patent application filed for tubeless tires. Synthetic rubber is introduced into the tire manufacturing process.

Heavy bomb damage to the plants in HanoverVahrenwald and Korbach. The British military government grants permission as early as June 14 for the Hanover factories to resume production.

1945

Production of steel cable conveyor belts starts.

At the beginning of the year Continental is the first German company to start manufacturing tubeless tires.

Continental adds M+S tires for winter driving to its range of conventional tires.

1951

1952

In close collaboration with Daimler-Benz and Porsche, Continental repeats its prewar successes on the track. Racing in cars fitted with Continental tires, drivers like Karl Kling, Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio win the 1952 Carrera Panamericana and the French, British, Dutch and Italian Grand Prixs.

1951-55

Continental is also the first company to develop air springs for trucks and buses.

1955

Mass production of radial tires begins.

1960

Europe’s largest hose manufacturing facilities are set up at the Korbach plant. The entire hose production is transferred from Hanover to Korbach.

Construction of a tire plant in Sarreguemines, France. A factory for industrial products is built in Northeim, Germany.

1961

1964

1967

1971

1972

Completion of the plant in Dannenberg (Elbe). Initial production comprises plastic components for the automotive industry. Continental launches the studless ContiContact winter tire.

Opening of the Contidrom tire testing facility on the edge of the Lüneburg Heath. In 1994/95 the facility is more than doubled in size to enable the construction of new tracks, including a 3.8 kilometer handling course for high-performance cars. In 2001 a 3.7 kilometer track for noise assessment is opened.

In Northeim, one of Europe’s largest conveyor belt production lines comes on stream.

Purchase of Techno-Chemie, Frankfurt, one of Germany’s leading hose couplers.

1974

1976

1978

Continental is the first manufacturer to supply the European automotive industry with extrusion-blow-molded polyurethane gaiters.

Takeover of the European tire operations of Uniroyal, Inc., USA, gives Continental a wider base in Europe (photo: Aachen plant).

1979

A joint venture is set up together with the Portuguese company Mabor for the production of tires in Lousado. 1993 sees complete takeover of the tire activities and of a factory producing textile cord.

Takeover of the tire operations of the Austrian company Semperit.

1871 1983

1882 1985

Continental hydromounts – special bearing elements used in engines for damping vibrations and noise – are mass-produced for the automotive industry.

Acquisition of the North American tire manufacturer General Tire, Inc. The company has been operating under the name of Continental Tire North America, Inc. since 2001.

1892 1987

1898 1989/90

The industrial products operations are reorganized under the ContiTech umbrella brand. With its ContiEcoContact tire, Continental is the first manufacturer to launch an environment-friendly passenger tire.

1900 1991

Benecke-Kaliko AG is integrated into the ContiTech division. Key products are leatherette and foils.

The Automotive Systems division is established to intensify the systems business with the automotive industry. 1993

1994

The majority holding in the Czech company Barum comprises a passenger and commercial vehicle tire plant in Otrokovice as well as a dealer organization with about 50 outlets. Continental currently has more than 2,200 tire retailers and franchises in 13 European countries, including various retail organizations such as Vergölst.

1995

Continental reinforces its position as global tire manufacturer by adding sites in Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Slovakia.

Acquisition of the Automotive Brake and Chassis unit of a globally active U.S. company, the core of which is Alfred Teves GmbH in Frankfurt/ Main. 1997

Further steps on the way towards internationalizing ContiTech’s operations are taken in Brazil, Chile, Mexico (photo) and Hungary. 1998

1998-99

A new plant for the manufacture of passenger tires is opened in Timisoara, Romania.

Continental and Nisshinbo set up a joint venture (Continental Teves Corporation) in the field of brake and chassis systems for the Japanese and Korean markets.

Continental presents ISAD (Integrated Starter Alternator Damper) for which it receives the German Industry Innovation Award. ISAD combines the vehicle’s starter and generator in one single unit. This key technology is a necessary precondition for hybrid propulsion systems that help to substantially reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

2000

Continental reinforces its activities within the growing automotive electronics market by acquiring Temic, an international electronics specialist (photo: Nuremberg plant). Majority holdings are purchased in two Japanese companies manufacturing brake actuation components and disk brakes. ContiTech acquires a 51% stake in a Chinese hose line manufacturer. 2001

2002

2003

Inauguration of ContiTech’s new plant for the production of power transmission systems in Romania and of a factory in Turkey providing the division with extra manufacturing capacity for air spring systems. To intensify tire activities with Japanese carmakers, Continental and Yokohama establish a 50/50 joint venture.

Unveiling of ContiSportContact 2 Vmax, the world’s first road tire approved for speeds up to 360 km/h. ContiTech sets up a joint venture for the production of air spring bellows in Korea.

Inauguration of a new plant in Mexico for the production of brake components. Takeover of Phoenix AG. With the merger of ContiTech and Phoenix, the world’s largest specialist for rubber and plastics technology evolves (photo: plant in Hungary).

2003

Continental expands its production base in Romania by opening up a plant making assemblies for automotive electronics – with an on-site R&D center – in Sibiu, as well as a manufacturing facility for air-conditioning lines in Timisoara. Continental acquires the wheel sensors business of a Japanese company with manufacturing operations in China.

2004

Cooperation with ZF Friedrichshafen for the joint development and marketing of hybrid vehicle technology.

Continental strengthens its position as a tire manufacturer in the ASEAN region and Australia by establishing the Malaysian Continental Sime Tyre joint venture.

2005

Production of brake calipers commences at the new plant in Zvolen, Slovakia, and of passenger, light truck and commercial vehicle tires in Camaçari, Brazil. ContiTech acquires a Danish manufacturer of power transmission belts with production facilities in Denmark, China, Korea and India. Continental purchases the automotive electronics business of the US company Motorola, Inc., expanding its activities in telematics, among other fields (photo: Deer Park, USA, location).

2006

2007

With the acquisition of a majority interest in the Slovak company Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o. Continental expands its position for the Tires and ContiTech divisions in Central and Eastern Europe. Continental acquires Siemens VDO Automotive AG and advances to among the top five suppliers in the automotive industry worldwide, at the same time boosting its market position in Europe, North America and Asia (photo: Regensburg location).

Production of lithiumion batteries for use in vehicles with hybrid drives begins in the Nuremberg plant.

The ContiSportContact™ 5 P is launched on the market. The new high-performance summer tire is specially designed for sports cars and tuning vehicles. 2008

2009

2010

The new Asian headquarters and a research and development center is opened in Shanghai. The center represents another major milestone for the company’s growth in China and Asia. Schaeffler KG becomes the major shareholder of Continental AG following the conclusion of the takeover offer published in the summer of 2008.

At a glance Founded in Hanover, Germany, in 1871, Continental can look back on a history of success. Over the years we have brought individual mobility to the road and initiated, advanced and collaborated on a host of technological developments. Today we are among the five largest automotive suppliers in the world and the second largest in Europe. As a supplier of tires, brake control systems, driving dynam­ ics control systems, airbag electronics, driver assistance systems, sensors, systems and components for the powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics and technical elastomer products, we contribute towards enhanced driving safety and environmental protection.

The ContiTech division is also an expert development partner for various other key industries. In its six divisions – Chassis & Safety, Powertrain, Interior, Passenger and Light Truck Tires, Commercial Vehicle Tires, and ContiTech – Continental has approximately 150,000 employees at nearly 200 production, research and development locations.

01/2011

Continental AG Corporate Communications P.O. Box 169 30001 Hanover, Germany www.continental-corporation.com