ContiTech says it has reached another historic milestone on the Chinese market with the start of its production facility for rubber compounds in Changshu.
"Today, a project that has been in preparation for a long time reaches completion. With our new Compounding Centre, we are now also bringing our special materials expertise directly to the heart of this key market. It is further evidence of our stable, local business growth. We want to continue to grow sustainably on the Chinese market. We will achieve that only if we are where our customers are - directly in their areas," said Hans-Jürgen Duensing, CEO of ContiTech and member of the executive board of Continental, at the opening ceremony for the location in Changshu.
ContiTech Compounding Technology develops compounds and sheeting for a wide range of industrial fields. Rubber-based product solutions are used on construction sites, in trucks, cars, and trains, in mining, and in the food industry. The company's wide-ranging knowledge and the ultra-modern technology employed for our meticulous production controls guarantee the highest quality. "The challenges we overcome today with rubber compounds owe a lot to our immense experience. We are now continuing this success story in China," added Dr. Peter Scholtissek, head of the compounding technology business unit.
The plant is the first Compounding Centre for general applications other than tyres or conveyor belts outside Europe. Until now, the company has produced rubber compounds for applications such as drive belts, hoses, and car tyres at its three plants in Germany and Hungary. At a total of EUR10m (US$11.04m), it is one of the biggest investments in the history of the business unit. "In our 3,000 square meters of production space, we are also setting technological standards. The machinery on the first production line is some of the most efficient in the whole of ContiTech," said Scholtissek.
First to start operations is a compounding line with a capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes per year. Furthermore, the company operates an extrusion line for high-tech compounds that produces one metric ton of rubber compounds every hour. Internal ContiTech customers are being supplied at first. "However, we have structured the plant in a way that will enable us to double our capacity in the years to come," said Scholtissek, describing the potential for expansion of the location. In doing so, ContiTech is also drawing upon the knowledge and experience of Veyance Technologies in China. At the start of 2015, ContiTech took over a small compounding facility as part of the acquisition. "With this shared local expertise, we are now able to work even more quickly, more specifically, and with a greater proportion of local raw materials to meet the needs and requirements of the Chinese market. We also save valuable time and transport costs," said the head of the business unit.
