Conti to boost pcr production in Slovakia by almost 50%

On 10 April the head of Continental’s Tire division, Nikolai Setzer, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico signed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning Continental’s consumer tyre factory in Púchov. The signing of the MoU at Continental’s headquarters in Hannover, Germany paves the way for an expansion project that will see passenger and light truck tyre capacity in Púchov rising by more than 5 million pieces a year.

Continental is yet to confirm the MoU’s fine print, however the Slovak Republic’s official website states that the German company intends to invest 250 million euros in Slovakia and create around 600 new jobs there. In return, the Slovak Republic says it has offered Continental some 20 million euros in tax concessions. The government website indicates that a large portion of this investment will be made over the next year and lead to 163 new jobs in Púchov.

At present the Púchov site manufactures 11 million passenger car and light truck tyres annually, and nearly all Continental’s tyre brands are produced there, including Continental, General Tire, Gislaved, Semperit, Uniroyal, Viking, Barum, Matador and Mabor. The company’s truck tyre plant in Púchov, Continental Matador Truck Tires s.r.o., produced 2.2 million tyres last year and is Continental’s second largest truck tyre factory worldwide. In terms of tonnage for both consumer and truck tyres, Púchov is on its way to becoming Continental’s largest tyre plant in Europe.

Continental’s involvement with Púchov commenced in 1998 with its shareholding in Continental Matador Truck Tires s.r.o. In November 2007 the company acquired a majority shareholding in Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o., and since that time it has almost doubled passenger car and light truck tyre production in Púchov and employed 850 additional workers. In 2009 it acquired the outstanding 34 per cent shareholding in Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o. Today Continental employs more than 5,000 people in Slovakia.