02/24/2009 Hanover / Korbach, September 2007. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Continental site in Korbach held an Open Day at which the many visitors, both adults and children, enjoyed a lively programme of sporting and fun activities, whilst also gaining an interesting insight into the production side of the company.

An anniversary party with almost 25,000 guests

Children forklifts and cars zoomed round a track marked out with tyres where normally industrial tyres, designed to ensure safe stacking, lifting and carrying, are manufactured. Sponsored by Continental's customer Linde, the racing fun track for junior forklift truck drivers formed part of the Open Day programme organised by the Continental site in Korbach on 8th September 2007 to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Almost 25,000 guests accepted the Open Day invitation, thereby demonstrating their support with the region's largest employer.

Here you can download the press-release as word-document (183 KB).

Every seat was already taken in the marquee in the early morning when the plant manager Lothar Salokat and Manfred Wennemer, Chairman of the Board at Continental AG, officially opened the Korbach Conti-Day. Manfred Wennemer had a special surprise in store for Korbach's mayor and the 25,000 citizens he represents. To celebrate the factory's 100 years' anniversary in Korbach he announced, Continental will be setting up new physics and chemistry laboratories at two schools in the town. Conti experts will also be on hand to assist the teachers "and make the lessons even more exciting" promised Wennemer.

Entertaining programme of events both indoors and out

Outside in front of the marquee, in the Conti Park and on the factory premises, the guests - current and former Conti employees, customers and visitors from Korbach and the surrounding area - were able to enjoy a highly varied programme including lots of sporting events, fun activities, shows, plus cash and other attractive prizes to be won. There was also a wealth of information about the factory and its history, as well as the industrial, car, motorbike and bicycle tyres manufactured in Korbach. The locally-produced technical and elbow hoses used in commercial and other motorised vehicles and in industry were also featured.

Whilst the younger visitors demonstrated their enormous courage and skill in crate climbing, the more mature visitors showed off their goal-scoring expertise at the speed range, target shooting, at table football for the Conti Kicker Cup or by taking part in the Conti Korbach Cup. Conti employees from Aachen, Karben, Frankfurt, Hanover, Korbach and from the French Conti plant in Sarreguemines competed with one another in this last discipline. And the VW Touareg driving simulator provided thrills for father and son alike, whilst on the MTB Trail Show experienced mountain bikers demonstrated what Conti tyres are capable of.

The lively excitement was not just limited to outdoors though; visitors poured into the individual sections of the tyre and hose manufacturing plant, where they listened with great interest to explanations of the various production stages. And some parents were clearly very proud to tell their amazed offspring about the role they played in the manufacturing process. Although the factory premises were closed to visitors after 4p.m., so that the next shift could start work, this was by no means the end of the party in the Conti Park and on the fairground. In the marquee, celebrations went on well into the night, with everyone dancing to their heart's content to the swinging and rocking sounds of a show band.

Here you can download the pictures of the press-release:
Part 1 (9,2 MB) Part 2 (9,5 MB)

Continental is the only tyre manufacturer to supply a comprehensive range of industrial tyres, making it the No. 1 in Germany and Europe, and one of the top three worldwide.

The Continental Corporation is a leading automotive supplier of tyres, brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers. In 2006 the corporation realised sales of EUR14.9 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 89,000.

The tyre divisions are an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008^TM, which will be held in Austria and Switzerland in June 2008. For further details, visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.de, www.ContiFanWorld.com, www.conti‑online.com.