Continental
Continental AG is a German tire manufacturer and industrial components producer (Tires and ContiTech divisions) serving automotive OEMs, commercial fleets, replacement tire customers, and industrial clients globally, following the 2025 spin-off of its automotive electronics business into Aumovio SE.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1871
- HeadquartersHanover, Germany
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Continental does
Continental AG is a German public company founded in 1871 and headquartered in Hanover, listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker: CON). Following major portfolio reshaping — including the spin-off of Vitesco Technologies and the 2025 spin-off of its automotive electronics segment into Aumovio SE — Continental now operates as a focused two-divisional group: the Tires group sector (passenger, commercial, motorcycle, and specialty tires plus the ContiConnect smart-tire monitoring platform) and the ContiTech group sector (industrial rubber and polymer components such as conveyor belts, hoses, and air springs). The Tires division is supported by vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities, including in-house steel tire-mold production acquired through EMT Púchov (Slovakia, 2024), and the portfolio spans OEM fitment lines co-developed with Tesla, Volkswagen, Ford, BYD, Hyundai, and Lucid, alongside premium partnerships such as the 25+ year Brabus collaboration for the SportContact 7 Force.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through hardware sales (tires and industrial components), distributed via direct OEM supply contracts, dealer and aftermarket channels, fleet accounts served through ContiConnect, and selected consumer licensing (e.g., adidas TERREX and Adizero outsoles). FY2026 guidance calls for consolidated sales of approximately €17.3–18.9 billion with an adjusted EBIT margin of 11.0–12.5%, reflecting the streamlined post-spin-off perimeter. The ContiTech industrial unit is currently in advanced sale discussions with Lone Star Funds at an indicative EUR 4–5 billion valuation, which would complete Continental's pivot to a pure-play tire company focused on OEM, replacement, and fleet tire customers globally.
The company operates a global manufacturing and distribution footprint spanning Germany, the United States (Mount Vernon, Illinois — its largest U.S. tire plant with 3,500+ employees), Mexico (Aguascalientes), Thailand (Rayong), Slovakia, and Sweden, with recent capital deployment of approximately $76 million into a new automated finished-goods warehouse in Illinois, $90 million into Mexican manufacturing capacity, and expansion of radial motorcycle tire production in Thailand during 2026.
Continental firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Continental
- Legal name
- Continental AG
- Website
- https://continental.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1871
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Continental AG is a German tire manufacturer and industrial components producer (Tires and ContiTech divisions) serving automotive OEMs, commercial fleets, replacement tire customers, and industrial clients globally, following the 2025 spin-off of its automotive electronics business into Aumovio SE.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Continental industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Tire Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Tire Manufacturing (32621), Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) (326211), All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing (326299)
- SIC
- Tires & Inner Tubes (3011), Fabricated Rubber Products, Nec (3060)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tires Manufacturing (IMACAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Passenger Car Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAA), Light Truck/SUV Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAB), Commercial Truck & Bus Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAC), Off-the-Road (OTR) & Heavy Equipment Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAD)
Keywords
Where Continental is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hanover
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Continental business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tire Sales (OEM and Replacement): Continental manufactures and sells tires for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and specialty applications. Revenue comes from both original equipment manufacturer (OEM) supply agreements with automotive makers and the replacement market through dealers and fleet customers.
- ContiTech Industrial Products: ContiTech segment produces industrial components including conveyor belts, hoses, air springs, and other rubber and polymer products serving automotive, manufacturing, and industrial end-markets. The division is undergoing potential sale to Lone Star Funds.
- Automotive Aftermarket: Expanded automotive aftermarket portfolio introduced in October 2025, including over 1,000 new products such as wheel bearing kits and chassis components for commercial vehicles across Europe.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Continental product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Continental AG manufactures and sells tires for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and specialty applications (including ultra-high-performance, winter, all-season, and motorhome tires), and through its ContiTech segment produces industrial rubber and polymer components such as conveyor belts, hoses, and air springs. The company also operates the ContiConnect smart tire platform with embedded sensors for fleet tire monitoring, and supplies OEM and replacement channels globally.
Product overview
Continental is a diversified technology company organized into two core group sectors: Tires and ContiTech. The Tires division encompasses a comprehensive portfolio of tire products spanning passenger vehicle tires (including SportContact performance lines and WinterContact winter tires), commercial vehicle tires (such as Conti EcoPlus HT3+ for long-haul trucks and Conti EfficientPro Gen 3+ for regional transport), specialty tires for motorcycles and recreational vehicles (VanContact Camper), and urban bus tires (Conti Urban). The ContiTech division produces industrial components including conveyor belts, hoses, and air springs serving automotive, manufacturing, and industrial customers. Continental also offers smart tire technology through its ContiConnect platform, which provides real-time tire monitoring via embedded sensors for fleet management applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tires (Passenger & Commercial) Continental's core tire portfolio covers passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and specialty applications across summer, winter, all-season, and ultra-high-performance lines, supplied to automotive OEMs and replacement/dealer channels.
- ContiTech Industrial Components Industrial rubber and polymer products including conveyor belts, hoses, and air springs serving automotive, manufacturing, and industrial end-markets.
- ContiConnect Smart Tire Platform Smart tire monitoring platform using embedded sensors for real-time tire pressure and temperature monitoring, enabling fleet operators to optimize tire maintenance and fuel efficiency.
- Conti Urban (Bus & Commercial Tires) Urban-focused tire line designed for city bus and commercial vehicle applications, providing durability and efficiency for urban driving conditions.
- Conti EcoPlus HT3+ Fuel-efficient truck tire designed for long-haul applications, optimized for low rolling resistance to reduce fuel consumption.
- Conti EfficientPro Gen 3+ Commercial vehicle tire line for regional and highway transport, designed for durability and cost efficiency in distribution operations.
- WinterContact (Winter Tire Line) Winter tire line designed for cold-weather and snow-prone regions, providing traction and safety in winter driving conditions.
- SportContact 7 Force Ultra-high-performance summer tire co-developed with Brabus for premium sports cars, featuring 21-inch dimensions and specialized rubber compounds for exceptional handling.
- VanContact Camper Summer and all-season tires specifically designed for motorhomes and recreational vehicles, providing safety and comfort for camper applications.
- Automotive Aftermarket Product Portfolio Expanded automotive aftermarket portfolio including wheel bearing kits, chassis components, and related parts for commercial vehicles.
Quantifiable outcome
- Raising tire pressure from 94 PSI to 110 PSI can yield 1.3 miles per gallon in fuel savings
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Continental
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Continental technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Continental partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- Automechanika FrankfurtcoreContinental will participate in the CEO Talk at Automechanika Frankfurt 2026 alongside representatives from Aumovio, Castrol, Mann+Hummel, Schaeffler, and ZF, discussing industry transformation and emerging business models in the international automotive aftermarket.
- nobiliacoreContinental received the iF Design Award 2026 alongside project partner nobilia for its ContiTech segment, recognizing design excellence in their collaborative work.
- EMT Púchov s.r.o.coreContinental finalized acquisition of EMT Púchov s.r.o., a Slovakia-based mold manufacturing specialist, integrated into Continental's tire business. The acquisition includes all 107 employees and their knowledge in mold manufacturing, focusing on steel milling for commercial and specialty tires. This supplements previous acquisitions of other mold manufacturers and increases Continental's capacity to produce molds independently.
- Vulk & Montage GroupminorContinental acquired the Vulk & Montage Group in Sweden to expand its industrial services, integrating it into its Conveying Solutions business area. The acquisition enhances Continental's portfolio by adding conveyor and maintenance services in central Sweden, with completion pending antitrust approval.
- BrabusflagshipPartnership exceeding 25 years between Continental and Brabus. Latest collaboration pairs the Brabus Bodo supercar with Continental's newly developed SportContact 7 Force ultra-high-performance summer tires. The tires were co-developed specifically to handle the Brabus Bodo's high-performance engine output and axle load distribution, delivering exceptional everyday driving performance alongside track-level handling capabilities.
- Mexico (State of Aguascalientes)coreContinental AG secured a US$90 million manufacturing investment in Aguascalientes, Mexico, as part of the state's efforts to attract European manufacturing investment. German companies account for 12.8% of investment announced during the current state administration.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Continental competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Michelin: Michelin is the largest global tire manufacturer by revenue and Continental's closest direct peer, competing across passenger, truck, motorcycle, and specialty tire categories with comparable global manufacturing footprint and OEM relationships.
- Bridgestone: Bridgestone is the world's largest tire manufacturer by volume, competing directly with Continental in passenger, commercial, and specialty tires, with similar emphasis on OE supply and replacement channels globally.
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber: Goodyear is a major US-headquartered tire manufacturer with a comparable portfolio spanning passenger, commercial truck, and specialty tires, directly competing in both OEM fitment and the North American replacement market.
- Pirelli: Pirelli focuses on premium and high-performance tires, directly competing with Continental's SportContact lines and supplying similar premium OEMs; its Ultra High Performance segment overlaps with Continental's specialty tire business.
- Hankook Tire: Hankook is a South Korean tire manufacturer with a global passenger and commercial tire portfolio, increasingly competing in OE supply and replacement channels that overlap with Continental's footprint.
- Yokohama Rubber: Yokohama Rubber manufactures passenger, commercial, and OTR tires globally, with similar OEM relationships and Asia-Pacific manufacturing presence to Continental.
- Sumitomo Rubber Industries: Sumitomo Rubber (Dunlop/Falken brands) is a Japanese tire manufacturer competing directly with Continental across passenger, SUV, and commercial vehicle tire segments globally.
- Nokian Tyres: Nokian Tyres specializes in passenger and SUV tires for Nordic and Eastern European conditions, with a replacement-tire focus that directly competes with Continental's WinterContact and similar lines.
- Toyo Tire Corporation: Toyo Tire manufactures passenger, light truck, and commercial tires, with growing OE and replacement presence in North America and Asia that overlaps with Continental's distribution channels.
Emerging players
- Apollo Tyres: Apollo Tyres is an Indian-headquartered tire manufacturer expanding in Europe and commercial vehicle tires, emerging as a meaningful but not yet full-spectrum competitor to Continental's global position.
Market position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Continental social profiles
Digital presenceContinental financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Continental leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Continental subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Continental funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Continental M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A18 records
Investments29 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Continental
What does Continental do?
Continental AG manufactures and sells tires for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and specialty applications (including ultra-high-performance, winter, all-season, and motorhome tires), and through its ContiTech segment produces industrial rubber and polymer components such as conveyor belts, hoses, and air springs. The company also operates the ContiConnect smart tire platform with embedded sensors for fleet tire monitoring, and supplies OEM and replacement channels globally.
Is Continental a public or private company?
Continental is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Continental founded?
Continental was founded in 1871. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Continental based?
Continental is headquartered in Hanover, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Continental make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tire Sales (OEM and Replacement) is the primary driver. The others are contiTech Industrial Products and automotive Aftermarket.
Who are Continental's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Pirelli, Hankook Tire, Yokohama Rubber, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Nokian Tyres and Toyo Tire Corporation. Apollo Tyres is listed as an emerging player.
Does Continental have an API?
No public API is recorded for Continental.
What industry is Continental in?
Continental's product category is Automotive Tire Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAIAK, Tires Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMANAKAA, Passenger Car Tires Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 32621 and its SIC code is 3011.