Continental Tire Plant in Portugal is Country’s “Best Company”

• Tire plant singled out by “Exame” business newspaper for fifth consecutive time
• Newspaper cites increasing productivity, value creation and balanced financing
• Plant workforce of approximately 1,950 employees, 16 million tires manufactured in 2011

Hanover, 31 January 2012. The renowned Portuguese business newspaper “Exame” has named the Continental tire plant “Best Company” of Portugal. The trade journalists cited the increasing productivity, high value creation and balanced financing of the national company that runs the plant. The plant, located in the town of Lousado near Porto, received the coveted prize for the fifth time in a row. Continental has produced winter and summer tires for cars, SUVs, and vans in the plant since 1989.

The award as “Best Company” was presented by Portugal’s Secretary of State for Economy and Employment, Almeida Henriques, to plant manager Jose Neto on 17 January in a ceremony in Lisbon. In his acceptance speech, Neto pointed out Continental's increasing investments in the tire plant, the plant’s successful history as well as the exceptionally high flexibility of the workforce and the support of the Portuguese government, which made the Lousado tire plant’s success story possible.

The tire plant in the small town of Lousado is the region’s most important employer. The plant has belonged to the Continental Corporation since 1989, at which time it had an annual output of some one million tires. It currently produces approximately16 million tires. The corporation has invested about €400 million in the plant since 1989. The plant at present has a workforce of 1,620 employees. Traditionally, the tires from Portugal are earmarked for the European market and the MENENA economic region (Mid and Near East, North Africa).

With sales of €26 billion in 2010, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of tires, brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics and technical elastomer products, Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently has approximately 164,000 employees in 45 countries.

Continental is the European market leader for passenger and light truck tires. More than 30% of all new European cars leave the factory fitted with Continental tires as original equipment. Continental’s Tire division is an official sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, the EUFA EURO 2012TM and the DFB Cup. For further details, please go to www.ContiSoccerWorld.com.