page_title: Continental AG
section_title: Overview
hierarchical_section_title: Continental AG / Overview
caption_attribution_description: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (C 197)
context_page_description: Continental AG, commonly known as Continental, is a German multinational automotive parts manufacturing company specializing in brake systems, interior electronics, automotive safety, powertrain and chassis components, tachographs, tires and other parts for the automotive and transportation industries. Continental is based in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany. Continental is the world's fourth-largest tire manufacturer.
  Continental was founded in 1871 as a rubber manufacturer, Continental-Caoutchouc und Gutta-Percha Compagnie. In 1898, Continental started development and production of the vehicle tires with plain tread, which was the major success of the brand. In 1904, Continental became the first company in the world to manufacture grooved vehicle tires. Another major product Continental invented was detachable wheel tire that was made for touring vehicles. In the late 1920s, Continental merged with several other major rubber industry companies to form the largest rubber company in Germany “Continental Gummi-Werke AG”.
context_section_description: Continental is structured in five divisions:
  Chassis and Safety
  Powertrain
  Interior
  Tires
  ContiTech
  Continental sells tires for automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles worldwide under the Continental brand. It also produces and sells other brands with more select distribution such as Viking (limited global presence), General (US/Canada), Gislaved (Canada, Spain, Nordic Markets), Semperit (industrial applications), Euzkadi (Mexico/Latin America) and Barum to serve EU & Russia. Other brands are Uniroyal, Sime Tyres, Mabor, Matador, AmeriSteel, Novum, Simex, Astrum Blue, and TecnoTread. Continental's customers include all major automobile, truck and bus producers, such as Volkswagen, Daimler AG, BharatBenz, Ford, Volvo, Iveco, Schmitz, Koegel, Freightliner Trucks, BMW, General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Renault, PSA and Porsche.
  In 2001, Continental acquired a controlling interest in Temic, DaimlerChrysler's automotive-electronics business, which is now part of Continental Automotive Systems. The company also purchased German automotive rubber and plastics company Phoenix AG in 2004, and the automotive electronics unit of Motorola in 2006. Continental acquired Siemens VDO from Siemens AG in 2007.
  In Argentina, teamed up with FATE in 1999 for the production of tires for cars, trucks, and buses and exports the production of the San Fernando plant to the rest of South America.  In 2007, the company began to construct a plant in Costa Rica to produce powertrain components for North America.  The plant was to open in two phases and ultimately employ 550 workers.
  Continental also produces tyres for mountain bikes and rubber soles for Adidas running shoes.
  In November 2018, Continental purchased Kmart Tyre and Auto in Australia from Wesfarmers for A$350 million.
caption: Continental tyres on a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
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