The Strategic Transformation
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1994 Joint venture between ContiTech and the Slovakian company, Vegum, in the production of rubber extrusions for the European automotive industry. In 1996, the agreement is extended to include moulded products |
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1995 The Continental Automotive Systems Group, established the year before in order to intensify the systems business, expands its activities in the development of systems and the supply of preassembled wheels to the European automotive industry. ContiTech and the industrial products division of the American company, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., sign an agreement to collaborate in the fields of moulded products, extrusions and hoses. ContiTech takes over the power transmission products activities of TBA Belting Ltd., Wigan, Manchester, UK. The newly established company, ContiTech Power Transmission Systems Ltd., is the ContiTech Group's first plant in the UK. An agreement is signed with the French company, Michelin S.A., providing for the conclusion of cooperation agreements. The main points of these agreements are combined efforts in retreading and used-tire disposal, the assembly of tire/wheel units and the utilization of a production site for low-price tires. Continental also received the right to unlimited use of the Uniroyal brand name in Europe. |
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1996 Continental celebrates its 125th anniversary on October 8th.
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1997 Continental presents ISAD (the Integrated Starter Alternator Damper), which stands for a new technology capable of damping engine vibrations, starting the engine silently and generating electric power in the vehicle. Functions of conventional units like the starter and generator are integrated into the ISAD system. The first cars equipped with ISAD was launched in 2001. |
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1998 Continental buys ITT Automotive Brake and Chassis unit from ITT Industries Inc., USA, for $1.93 billion. This globally recognized auto industry partner for brakes and chassis management systems has more than 10,000 employees. The core of its operations is the former company Alfred Teves GmbH in Frankfurt. The new unit, which includes 23 plants, research centers and test tracks, is to be integrated into the Continental Automotive Systems Group as Continental Teves. |
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1998/99 Continental expands its position in the global tire market through participations, technical cooperations and investments in new locations: technology transfer with Fate, Argentina; joint venture with Matador, Slovak Republic; acquisition of the tire business (2 factories and 1,000 outlets) of Grupo Carso, Mexico; takeover of 60% of GenTire South Africa, now operating under the name of Continental Tire South Africa. Establishment of new production sites in Timisoara, Romania, and Ponta Grossa, Brazil. Continental Automotive Systems opens its first non-European assembly site for complete wheels in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. The tire plant in Newbridge, Scotland, is closed. Further steps on the way towards internationalizing ContiTech's operations are the purchase of conveyor belt plants in Chile and Mexico, as well as the build-up of manufacturing facilities in Brazil (photo), Mexico and Hungary. |
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2000 Presentation of the "30-meter car" at the Contidrom testing grounds marked the end of the first phase of the "shorter stopping distance" project. The goal was to bring a compact traveling at 100 km/h to a complete stop in just thirty meters. The previous record for compacts was 38.5 meters. The 30-meter car shows that the interplay of brake, chassis and tire engineering has the potential to greatly increase the driver's margin of safety. But that's only part of the story. It also illustrates Continental AG's competence in the area of chassis management. |
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2001 With the present acquisition of a sixty percent holding in Temic GmbH, Nuremberg, Continental has ensured itself new chances in the strongly growing vehicle electronics market. The company, which also has production sites in America and Asia, will be integrated into the Continental Automotive Systems division as Conti Temic microelectronic.
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2002 Continental and Bridgestone announce that they will be cooperating on run-flat tire systems with the goal of creating a worldwide standard for run-flat tire systems installed on conventional rims. Continental and Yokohama sign an agreement for Closer Corporation in the tire business in the future. A 50:50 joint venture company is established to promote activities geared towards Japanese carmakers. |