Contil starts hydrogen hose factory in Germany, plans further investment in testing

Hanover, Germany – Continental AG has commissioned a new production line for hydrogen hoses at its Korbach site.

The recently launched facility expands ContiTech’s offerings across the hydrogen value chain, according to a 2 April company release.

The €3 million production line will manufacture high-pressure hoses for storing, distributing, and refuelling hydrogen in cars, trucks, ships, and aircraft.

According to the German manufacturer, high-pressure fuelling hoses for hydrogen must withstand extreme loads of up to 700 bar—more than 200 times the pressure in a car tire, according to ContiTech.

To meet these requirements, ContiTech said its material experts have developed a new "veneer hose" using a combination of thermoplastics for hydrogen tightness, steel for pressure resistance, and rubber for flexibility and durability.

The design ensures safe and efficient hydrogen handling at dispensing stations.

The hose also includes sustainable features, such as an inner layer that is “free from halogenated plastics” and a “completely recyclable” metal reinforcement.

To meet increasingly stringent testing requirements in hydrogen technology, ContiTech said it has planned further investments in Korbach over the next three years.

These include upgrades to existing systems and the addition of new test benches for higher pressure testing.

“With the new production facility and our close collaboration with the Continental tech centre for hydrogen technologies in Hamburg, we are able to overcome the challenges associated with manufacturing,” said Sebastian Weyand, head of the ContiTech plant in Korbach.

ContiTech’s hydrogen solutions portfolio includes hydrogen bunkering hoses and high-pressure hoses.