Continental celebrated its 20th anniversary in Tianjin and the Launching of Plastic Mechatronic Line

• Local government officers and Continental management board members joined this event, celebrating the milestone of Continental
• New Plastic Mechatronic Line (PMT) enables Continental to enter new business area with new products

Shanghai/Tianjin, July 3, 2015. The international automotive supplier Continental held its 20 years anniversary ceremony in Tianjin today. Local government officers and Continental management members joined this event, celebrating with all Continental local employees for the numerous achievements in the past 20 years. Tianjin plant also announced one important investment for future mobility – the launching of a brand new Plastic Mechatronic (PMT) Line of Transmission Business Unit, which enables Continental to enter a new business area in China.

“The launching of PMT Line indicates our strategic intention to localize as much as possible of the entire value chain close to our customers in the local market.” said Dr. Ralf Cramer, Member of the Executive Board of Continental AG, President & CEO of Continental China, “For Continental, today is a milestone, as well as a new beginning.” 

“Since 2001, Continental Powertrain Transmission Business Unit has started studying on plastic competence and tool management, following our strategy to place innovative products to the transmission market. A great number of groundwork was laid.” introduced by Mr. Jerome Worbs, Global head of PMT at the opening ceremony, “In 2014, the Plastic Molding Production & Process Development Center was launched at Nuremberg in Germany, one year later, we are celebrating the launching and start of production in China, ready to serve local customers.”

Plastic mechatronic products are high-precision, metal-plastic composite, and integrated electronic systems, which result in lightweight, size reduction and quality stability. The PMT line does’t stand alone for just production, it’s also facilitated with the capability of In-house design, tooling & process development. With the line, Continental Powertrain Division will be able to locally produce sensor cluster, leadframe contact modules, etc.

Oswald Kold, General Manager of Tianjin Plant is very glad to have another value-adding line in the location. “Tianjin is one of the most important plants within Continental Central Electronic Plants organization worldwide. Since the opening in 1995, we’ve been developing with a significant speed together with the market. With PMT line, Continental brings another State-of-the-Art production technology to Tianjin.”

20 years in Tianjin, Continental Tianjin plant plays an important role in the development of Continental in China: 

1995 - Motorola AIEG organization set up in Tianjin

1997 - AIEG moved to  Fuyu building in TEDA, first product shipped to customer

2006 - Acquisition of Motorola Automotive system by Continental; foundation of Continental Automotive Systems (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.; Body & Security Business Unit started production at Continental Tianjin

2007 - Infotainment & Connectivity Business Unit started production of SYNC; Transmission Business Unit started production at Continental Tianjin

2009 - Infotainment & Connectivity Business Unit started production of the first Multi-Media Product

2010 - One millionth Transmission Control Unit Offline in Tianjin, Transmission Business Unit launched its 2^nd major product

2011 - Tianjin plant set up the 1^st CBS Training Center of China

2012 - Hybrid Electric Vehicle Business Unit started production at Continental Tianjin, Opening of Tianjin new warehouse 

2014 - 8,888,888 Transmission Control Unit offline at Tianjin