Conti opens Singapore R&D centre

To accommodate the company’s growth in Asia, Continental has opened a new research and development centre in Singapore. The facility, which covers a floorspace of some 10,170 square metres, houses around 650 employees from the company’s Tire and ContiTech divisions and the Automotive Group’s interior division. Continental invested S$36 million (£18.4 million) in setting up the new seven-storey centre.

“For the Interior division we want to grow stronger in Asia and we can report already 19 per cent sales that are generated in Asia, which we aim to increase considerably in the next coming years,” commented Helmut Matschi, member of Continental AG’s Executive Board and president of the Interior division. “Our expansion plans in Singapore strongly support Continental’s growth strategy of deeper engagement with its Asian automotive customers. With our leading edge capabilities, know-how and solutions, we are one of the key players in making vehicles more intelligent, environmental friendly and safer in the future.”

Jay Kunkel, chairman of the Board of Continental Automotive Singapore Pte Lte added: “Continental plays a significant role in the automotive industry through twelve R&D centres in Asia. Already in operation as a Continental company since 2007, Continental Automotive Singapore Pte Ltd is one of the three largest Asian R&D centres. Singapore’s excellent infrastructure, strong government support, talented science and engineering workforce are primary factors that convinced us to make a major investment in R&D operations here.”

Based on future development, the capacity of the building can be expanded with the addition of an eighth floor, to accommodate a total of 1,000 employees.