A-Z investment to give Continental added tyre mould options

Continental’s acquisition of A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau GmbH last year brought one of the world’s most skilled tyre mould manufacturers in-house. Now the German tyre maker has announced its intention to expand capacity for extremely detailed tread designs at the A-Z factory in Runding, Bavaria this year through the construction of a new foundry. This project will be funded by a €6 million investment in A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau. Continental says the investment will better prepare it for the increasingly complex nature of tyre moulds and their production, and will lead to 20 new jobs being created at Runding site.

“The acquisition of A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau GmbH was another significant step on the way to realising our long-term Vision 2025 strategy,” comments Nikolai Setzer, head of Continental’s Tire division. “The production of the most sophisticated moulds with the highest technological quality is essential for us to able to continue to expand our technological expertise at this level, which is so incredibly important for the product characteristics of the tyre. By further expanding our capacity, we are making it possible to keep pace with the ever more exacting requirements on tyres and their production as well as to fulfil our goal of manufacturing premium tyres while driving research and development forward at the highest level.”

In addition to operating a plant at its Bavarian headquarters site, A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau’s production footprint includes a facility in Meclov, Czech Republic. A-Z Formen und Maschinenbau GmbH was established in 1965 and currently employs approximately 320 people. It is part of Continental’s ContiMachinery subsidiary.