Continental opens R&D, tech centres in China

Hanover, Germany - Continental opened a new research and development centre for tires on the site of its tire plant in Hefei, China, announced the company on 24 April.

The initial construction phase, on an area of around 6,000 sq.m, has created capacity to machine-test some 6,000 tires a year and represents an investment volume of over €4 million.

Plans for a second phase are already being drawn up to generate capacity for an additional 1,000 tires to be tested.

Nikolai Setzer, head of the tire division and member of the Continental AG executive board said the plant was part of Conti’s ‘Vision 2025’ –  a growth programme that targets a better global balance of R&D, production and sales activities.

Summer and winter tires for the APAC market will be developed and tested at the new centre, with the aim of reinforcing Conti’s market position in the region, said Setzer.

“The guiding principle behind our growth in the booming Chinese automotive market remains our motto ‘in the market, for the market’,” Setzer added.

The facilities include a drum test bench, custom-built for year-round testing of winter tires for the Chinese market.

As a result of this investment, the German tire-maker noted, Continental will be able to develop new generations of summer and winter tires for the Chinese market much faster and more efficiently.

“We want to be able to offer our customers in the Chinese market fuel-efficient products with a long service life,” said Catherine Herchenroder, director R&D replacement passenger car and van tires APAC. “Given the boundary conditions of a robust market, our development programme will also feature smart robustness solutions.”

Also in China, at Yancheng in Jiangsu Province, in mid-April the ground-breaking ceremony took place for construction of a new test centre for the automotive division, with operations due to start in about one year’s time. The 2,500 sq.m site will provide office facilities and test workshops as well as access to test tracks on which the latest high-speed tire and brake system technologies can be trialled.