What is Continental? Continental Review

history

Continental AG, also known as Continental Group, was founded in Germany in 1871 and is headquartered in Hannover. It is a German transportation manufacturer and the world's fourth largest tire manufacturer, after Bridgestone and Michelin. Many of Continental's divisions occupy a leading market position: brake calipers, safety electronic equipment, in-vehicle intelligent communication systems, automotive instruments and fuel supply systems are the world's number one in sales; electronic brake systems and brake boosters are the world's second largest in sales. It is the world's fourth largest tire supplier and the largest supplier of passenger cars and light trucks, winter tires and commercial tires in Europe.

The main products are

Tires, vehicle braking systems, body stability control systems, engine injection systems, tachometers and other automotive and transportation parts. Its predecessor was a rubber manufacturer founded in 1871: Continental-Caoutchouc und Gutta-Percha Compagnie. After acquiring Siemens VDO, it has become one of the world's top five automotive parts suppliers.

Brand changes

As early as 1882, German Continental Tire used the "Prancing Horse" symbolizing speed and passion as its company's trademark, which made the brand famous. At the annual shareholders' meeting held in Hanover on May 15, 2013, Continental announced a newly revised image logo to reflect the group's innovation and change.

Development History

In 1993, Continental acquired the Portuguese tire manufacturer Mabor, based in Porto, the Nordic tire brands Gislaved and

King was also included in 1992.

In 1993 Continental acquired a majority stake in the Czech tire manufacturer Barum, based in Otrokovice.

In 1994, Continental AG and Shanghai Automotive Industry (Group) Corporation jointly established Shanghai Automotive Brake Systems Co., Ltd., marking Continental AG's official entry into the Chinese market.

In 1998, Continental acquired the brake and chassis division of ITT INDUSTRIES, a global diversified industrial company, for 1.93 billion euros.

In 1999, it acquired a 60% stake in a South African tire manufacturer.

In 2000, a new passenger car tire manufacturing plant was built in Romania, and in 2006 the passenger car and commercial vehicle tire manufacturing plant in Basica Masari went into production.

Since 2007, Continental has held a majority stake in a joint venture with the Slovak Matador Group in Puchoy, which includes the tire, conveyor belt and rubber processing machinery divisions.

In 1989, Continental acquired the automotive brake and chassis division of an American company. This world-renowned supplier of brake and chassis control systems supplies all major car manufacturers. The core of the company is located in the former Alfred Reyes company in Frankfurt. The company was incorporated into the Automotive Systems Division established in 1994.

In 2001, Continental acquired a controlling stake in German automotive electronics manufacturer Temic and classified it as part of Automotive Systems.

On September 22, 2003, Continental returned to the high-end of the German stock market after seven years - the German Composite Index . Continental's shares are listed on four German stock markets: Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Hanover and Hamburg. The group 's shares are also traded in the U.S. OTC (over-the-counter) market in the form of American depositary receipts.

In the fall of 2004, Continental acquired the majority stake in the Hamburg-based German company Phoenix and integrated the company into the new ContiTech.

In 2004, Continental acquired Phoenix AG, a German manufacturer of automotive rubber and plastics.

In 2006, Continental acquired Motorola's automotive electronics division. On January 1, 2007, it successfully transferred Motorola's automotive electronics division to Tianjin Plant and established Continental Automotive Systems (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.

In 2007, Continental acquired Siemens VDO for 11.4 billion euros and later resold part of VDO to Desay Group.

On September 1, 2008, Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann took over as CEO from Manfred Wennemer.

In November 2011, Nanjing Software R&D Center was established to meet the growing market demand and increasingly complex software architecture.

In 2016, Continental acquired a lidar company, Advanced Scientific Concepts, and plans to mass-produce lidar in 2020.

In February 2016, Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (CTA) announced that it would build a commercial vehicle tire plant in Clinton, Mississippi, with a total investment of approximately US$1.4 billion and employ 2,500 people when it reaches full production in the next decade.

In October 2016, CTA acquired Hoosier Racing Tire.

In 2017, Continental joined the autonomous driving alliance composed of BMW, Intel, Mobileye, Delphi and other companies, responsible for software and components integration.

On July 10, 2018, Didi Chuxing and Continental AG signed a strategic cooperation agreement, and the two parties will carry out project cooperation in the areas of intelligent connected vehicles and customized new energy vehicles.

Continental's "firsts"

1892 Became the first German company to produce pneumatic bicycle tires

In 1904, the world's first car tire with tread was launched

In 1908, the detachable car rim was invented

In 1921, it became the first German company to bring cord tires to market.

1955 Became the first company to develop air springs for buses and trucks

1955: Became the first German company to produce tubeless tires