Continental Tire the Americas to produce ContiSeal, ContiSilent tires in U.S.

April 4, 2019

Continental recently broke ground in Sumter, South Carolina with the addition of a new building to its approximately 2 million-square-foot tire manufacturing facility to produce ContiSeal™ and ContiSilent™ tires. Producing these tires in the U.S. will increase the supply of tires on hand and reduce the turnaround time from order to delivery to our customers across the region.

“Currently only two Continental plants in Europe produce ContiSeal™ and ContiSilent™ tires,” said Ahmed Boualam, Sumter plant manager. “This announcement celebrates Continental’s trust in the Sumter facility to continue delivering quality products to our customers. I am very excited to add these lines to our production portfolio in Sumter and look forward to ramp-up early next year.” Continental broke ground on the new building in March 2019 and will begin the installation of equipment in September 2019. Production of the high technology tires are on target for May 2020. Along with this monetary investment, the Sumter plant will also be investing in people by providing more than 50 new jobs by 2020 to support with tire production. “With the ability to produce ContiSeal™ and ContiSilent™ tires in the U.S., we are able to expand our portfolio in the Americas to support the demand for new mobility solutions,” said Juan Botero, vice president of key account management for Original Equipment Passenger and Light Truck Tires for Continental Tire the Americas. “We have listened to the needs of our customers and are excited to offer products and solutions designed to ensure a quieter and more comfortable ride, which undoubtedly will become increasingly important as we see more electrification and autonomous vehicles in the market.”

ContiSeal™ is a technology developed by Continental designed to seal a damaged tire tread. In case of penetration by foreign objects such as nails, there is no need for immediate roadside tire changes, and holes remain sealed even if the puncturing object becomes dislodged.

ContiSilent™ is a tire noise-reducing technology developed by Continental. It is designed to reduce interior noise on all road surfaces. ContiSilent™ tires are equipped with an inner tire absorber, a polyurethane foam, attached to the inner surface of the tread area with an adhesive. Regardless of the temperature, the structure of the foam stays intact.

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2018, Continental generated preliminary sales of around €44.4 billion and currently employs around 244,000 people in 60 countries and markets.