Continental has been a leader in incorporating sustainable practices in the tire industry, and ContiRe.Tex technology is a testament to this commitment. Launched in 2021, ContiRe.Tex has revolutionized the use of recycled materials in tire production by replacing conventional polyester with high-performance yarn made from recycled PET bottles. This groundbreaking technology will now be expanded to global markets in line with Continental's vision for a sustainable future.
Driven by a commitment to sustainability, Continental's ContiRe.Tex technology uses polyester yarn made from recycled PET bottles to completely replace conventional polyester in tire casings. This innovation not only improves the sustainability of the tires but also ensures that the performance and safety standards are met without compromise. The technology was initially introduced in selected tire models, including the PremiumContact 6, EcoContact 6, AllSeasonContact and one of the most sustainable tires on the market and the most sustainable in Continental's portfolio, the UltraContact NXT.
Environmental impact: By using recycled PET bottles, Continental significantly reduces the carbon footprint of its tire production. Each set of standard passenger car tires made with ContiRe.Tex technology uses the material from around 40 recycled PET bottles (9 to 15 per tire).
Quality and performance: Laboratory and tire tests conducted by Continental have shown that fibers made from recycled PET perform as well as conventional polyester fibers made from crude oil. They have the same quality, stability, and suitability for tire production due to their tensile strength, toughness and thermal stability.
Starting in mid-2024, Continental will begin mass production of tires incorporating ContiRe.Tex technology in its plants in Korbach and Sarreguemines. By 2025, this technology will be implemented in all Continental tire plants globally, marking a significant milestone in Continental’s sustainability journey. This strategic expansion is part of Continental’s broader objective to increase the share of sustainable materials in its products.
To facilitate the integration of new sustainable materials such as ContiRe.Tex, Continental uses the Mass Balance Approach (MBA). The MBA is a proven method in the automotive industry to manage the complexity of material integration while ensuring continuous supply. It allows Continental to introduce new materials in batches while ensuring that existing materials remain available as a backup. This approach not only limits complexity but also accelerates the ramp-up of sustainable materials, making it possible to meet the company's ambitious sustainability goals.
Simplified complexity: MBA limits the complexity involved in handling numerous combinations of materials and customer requirements.
Accelerated ramp-up: This approach faster adoption of sustainable materials.
Continuous supply: Ensures that current materials can be used as a backup, maintaining a stable supply chain as new materials are introduced in batches.
Unveiling of ContiRe.Tex technology
Expansion of production to include all global plants.
Roll-out of high-performance polyester fibers in pilot plants (Korbach and Sarreguemines)
Increase the sustainable material share in concerned tires by approximately 3%.
Full integration of ContiRe.Tex technology in global tire production, with continuous monitoring and improvement of sustainability practices.
Global roll-out in all PLT tire plants, with all yarn specifications potentially affected and the mass-balance approach in place for tracking and reporting.
