Business News

ContiTech Remains on its Very Successful Growth Track

Thursday 07. April 2011 - ContiTech increases sales by 29% in 2010 • Engineering Green Value: Innovations for sustainable mobility and energy supply • New generation of industrial timing belts entirely devoid of carbon black • Strong presence in partner country France

Technology leader ContiTech remains on a very successful track for global growth by again expanding business profitably and attaining outstanding results in 2010 after the economically challenging year 2009. “We have achieved the best business results in the company’s history and far exceeded our expectations,” reported Heinz-Gerhard Wente, CEO of ContiTech AG, at the company’s press conference held to mark the Hannover Messe 2011.
At this year’s Hannover Messe – one of the most important industrial fairs worldwide, ContiTech AG is again showcasing under the main theme of “Engineering Green Value” its special technological expertise and forward-looking applications for new key markets, like those for regenerative energy and sustainable mobility. At Booth A16 in Hall 5, the company is presenting new skin-friendly and low-emission automotive interior trim materials, which are also free of contact allergens in accordance with Volvo standard ENV0006 or are based by as much as 50 percent on renewable raw materials. And when it comes to products and applications for harnessing power from the sun, wind and water, ContiTech is one of the industry’s preferred technology partners. It is displaying international projects and outstanding innovations such as the flexible solar tank at the trade show.
This year, ContiTech’s presentation will again include a booth exhibiting drive technology and fluid technology at the special Motion, Drive and Automation trade show in Hall 25.
A Successful Fiscal Year 2010
Several factors contributed to ContiTech’s positive business results. The rapid recovery of the global automotive industry helped ContiTech, above all in the automotive supplies business. In addition, the company launched new ideas and products on the international markets, and invested in many new development centers and production sites at national and international locations around the world, which help make ContiTech’s service and presence even better in these markets. As a result, sales were up 29 percent from about €2.4 billion to about €3.1 billion. The operating result (EBIT) also improved significantly, jumping 119 percent from €169 million to €370 million. The return on sales again reached a typical level for ContiTech, rising from 7 percent in 2009 to 11.9 percent in 2010. EBIT before special effects increased by 64 percent, from €242 million to €397 million, meaning that the return on sales based on this value increased from 10.1 percent to 12.9 percent. The number of ContiTech employees also rose substantially, from approximately 22,000 at the beginning of 2010 to approximately 26,000 today.
Engineering Green Value
ContiTech’s presentation at this year’s Hannover Messe reflects the company’s innovative prowess, with the focus on future-oriented applications in established markets such as the automotive industry, and new areas of technology, such as regenerative energy. “Our maxim, ‘Engineering Green Value’, stands for the strategic orientation of ContiTech on the whole,” stressed Heinz-Gerhard Wente, CEO of ContiTech AG. “What drives us, now and in the future, is the creation of true added value for our customers and the environment by employing our special know-how in rubber and plastics technology, whilst acting in a responsible manner. And our goal is to keep ContiTech well prepared in the long term for the challenges of the future. Our presence at the Hannover Messe underscores this in a special way.”
Automotive interior trim materials from Benecke-Kaliko protect people, the environment, and the climate
The automotive industry is currently focusing its attention on the topic of sustainable mobility more than any other subject. The challenge is that the car of the future is expected to be just as powerful and offer the same comfort and convenience features, and yet it must also have fewer CO2 emissions, and be built as far as possible using eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. For car drivers, it is also a matter of being in a car with an interior climate that is as healthy as possible, since every person spends up to two and a half years of his or life in the car. ContiTech’s surface specialist Benecke-Kaliko makes a key contribution here with its new Acella Eco product family for automotive interiors. All Acella Eco products are particularly kind to the skin and low in emissions, and the material has received the most exacting certificate from Oeko-Tex, the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, class 1. The upholstery material Acella Eco Green is also free of contact allergens in accordance with the Volvo standard ENV0006, and the new product, Acella Eco Natural, consists of up to 50 percent renewable raw materials.
Brilliant ideas for regenerative energy sources
Another outstanding idea is being featured by the ContiTech Elastomer Coatings business unit: the FLEXSAVE Duo flexible solar tank, developed jointly by ContiTech and FSAVE Solartechnik of Kassel, Germany, a technology spin-off from Kassel’s university. The heat storage system is equipped with a flexible water tank from ContiTech and assembled from individual components. Unlike conventional models made of steel, this tank, which holds two cubic meters and more of water, can adapt to the space available in a house. That means that narrow doorways or stairwells no longer get in the way when installing a heat storage system in a new or existing building. The system makes it much less of a problem to retrofit existing buildings with solar heating systems. This is important in making renewable energy truly available to many consumers in the interest of a long-term eco-friendly approach. This intelligent and extremely practical new product for home owners interested in installing solar technology already won the Intersolar Award 2010, a key innovation prize, in the solar thermics category.
New generation of eco-friendly industrial timing belts of the BlueConcept family
One of ContiTech’s highlights in Hall 25 (Booth B23) is its new generation of industrial timing belts that are currently being tested in several selected sizes in pilot projects. The consumer goods industry in particular offers interesting application fields for these belts. In 2010, the company with its CONTI-V PIONEER became the first manufacturer to introduce a wrapped V-belt which consists primarily of renewable raw materials and is electrically conductive, although it is manufactured without carbon black. With this advanced development from the BlueConcept family, ContiTech is again playing a pioneering role in eco- and health-friendly applications. “In order to satisfy the growing demand for eco-friendly belts, we have upped our production capacities in recent months,” explained Konrad Müller, general manager of the ContiTech Power Transmission Group. “Dealer feedback about our new environmentally friendly products has been thoroughly positive and very promising. We can now supply the most important sizes.” In addition, ContiTech has expanded its selection of conventional drive belts and is now presenting itself as a full-range supplier with a broad product range and a wide variety of performance ratings.
Strong partner in France
France – this year’s partner country at the Hannover Messe – has been a central market for ContiTech for decades with positive global spillover effects. ContiTech is represented in France with two sales locations and one production location. It supplies primarily the automotive industry, the railway industry as well as other key industries in France. The markets in North Africa are served via France as well. Customers in France include PSA Peugeot Citroen as well as the Renault Group in the car sector, and the Volvo Group in the truck sector (Renault-Trucks, Volvo, Mack, Nissan Diesel). ContiTech’s share of the local replacement market for car belts is also increasing steadily. The ContiTech Power Transmission Group is number two on the French market. ContiTech is equally successful in the railway sector; for example, air spring systems from ContiTech Air Spring Systems have been used for years in the TGV.