Continental
Continental AG is a German DAX-listed tire manufacturer founded in 1871 that produces passenger, commercial, specialty, and bicycle tires for global automotive OEMs, industrial customers, and replacement-market consumers, and is divesting its ContiTech industrial unit to become a pure-play tire company.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1871
- HeadquartersHanover, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Continental does
Continental AG is a German multinational founded in 1871 and headquartered in Hannover, Germany. It develops and manufactures tires — passenger car, commercial vehicle, bicycle, and specialty tires — along with ContiTech industrial rubber and polymer solutions. Continental's automotive powertrain business was spun off as Vitesco Technologies in 2024 (later merged with Schaeffler), and the company is divesting ContiTech to Lone Star Funds to become a pure-play tire manufacturer. The company is publicly listed on the German DAX index under ticker CON.
Continental sells tires to three customer groups: automotive manufacturers (OEMs) under multi-year negotiated contracts, industrial customers via ContiTech, and end consumers and fleet operators through an authorized dealer network, e-commerce platforms, and direct channels. Underlying technology centers on tire compounding, smart-tire sensor systems, sustainable material development, and a global manufacturing footprint with major German plants in Hannover, Hamburg, Korbach, Eislingen, Weißbach, and Dannenberg. Product lines include Conti Urban (municipal), Conti EcoPlus HT3+ (long-haul truck), Conti EfficientPro Gen 3+ (commercial vehicle), VanContact Camper (recreational), and racing lines for the Tour de France.
The business model is hardware sales to OEMs and the replacement market. B2B pricing is quote-based and contracted over multi-year terms; B2C pricing is set through retailers and the continental-tires.com storefront. For 2026 the company has guided group revenue of €17.3–18.9 billion and an adjusted EBIT margin of 11.0–12.5%. Revenue is split across OEM tires, replacement-market tires, and (until close of the ContiTech sale) industrial rubber products; marketing spans corporate, IR, careers, and social channels including LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Continental firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Continental
- Legal name
- Continental AG
- Website
- https://conti.de
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1871
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Continental AG is a German DAX-listed tire manufacturer founded in 1871 that produces passenger, commercial, specialty, and bicycle tires for global automotive OEMs, industrial customers, and replacement-market consumers, and is divesting its ContiTech industrial unit to become a pure-play tire company.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Continental industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tire Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Tire Manufacturing (32621), Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) (326211)
- SIC
- Tires & Inner Tubes (3011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tires Manufacturing (IMACAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial Truck & Bus Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAC), Light Truck/SUV Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAB), Industrial/Solid & Specialty Tires (Forklift, Skid-Steer) Manufacturing (IMANAKAI)
Keywords
Where Continental is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hanover
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
Continental business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tires: Automotive and bicycle tires for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and replacement market, including passenger car, commercial vehicle, and specialty tires
- ContiTech: Industrial rubber and polymer products for various industries including automotive, manufacturing, and other industrial applications. Note: ContiTech is being sold to Lone Star Funds in 2026.
- Automotive Technologies: Former automotive division that was spun off as Vitesco Technologies and subsequently merged with Schaeffler
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | B2B enterprise pricing for automotive manufacturers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Continental product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Continental AG develops and manufactures tires and industrial rubber/polymer solutions. Its Tires division produces passenger car, commercial vehicle, specialty, and bicycle tires for both OEM fitment and the replacement market, while the ContiTech division supplies industrial rubber and elastomer components (currently being divested to Lone Star Funds).
Product overview
Continental operates as a tire manufacturer with two main divisions: Tires and ContiTech. The Tires division produces passenger car, commercial vehicle, and specialty tires, including product lines such as Conti Urban (urban applications), Conti EcoPlus HT3+ (fuel-efficient long-haul truck tires), Conti EfficientPro Gen 3+ (cost-optimized commercial tires), and VanContact Camper (recreational vehicle tires). The ContiTech division provides industrial rubber and elastomer solutions and is currently being divested to Lone Star Funds, which will transform Continental into a pure-play tire manufacturer.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ContiTech: Industrial solutions, rubber and plastic technology division of Continental
- Continental Tires
- Conti Urban
- Conti EcoPlus HT3+
- Conti EfficientPro Gen 3+
- VanContact Camper
- ContiLifeCycle
- The Continental Tires Garage
Products and services
- Continental Tires
Quantifiable outcome
- Continental provides tires for six teams at Tour de France 2026
Companies that use Continental
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 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 signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Continental competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Toyo Tire Corporation: Toyo Tire is a Japanese-based tire manufacturer with growing global presence in passenger, light truck, and commercial tires, competing with Continental particularly in specialty and performance tire segments.
Regional players
- Nokian Tyres: Nokian Tyres is a Nordic-focused premium tire manufacturer specializing in winter and passenger tires, comparable to Continental in passenger tire technology but operating primarily in Northern European and Russian/Eastern European markets.
Direct peers
- Michelin: Michelin is the largest global tire manufacturer by revenue, producing passenger car, commercial vehicle, and specialty tires, plus mobility-related services. It is Continental's closest direct competitor across essentially all of Continental's tire product categories and end markets.
- Bridgestone: Bridgestone is the world's largest tire manufacturer by volume and competes directly with Continental in passenger car, commercial truck/bus, and specialty tire segments globally, with comparable OEM and replacement market strategies.
- Sumitomo Rubber Industries: Sumitomo Rubber (Dunlop brand) produces passenger car, commercial, and motorcycle tires globally, directly overlapping Continental's passenger and commercial tire product lines in OEM and aftermarket channels.
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber: Goodyear is a major global tire producer focused on passenger, commercial, and aviation tires with similar OEM and replacement distribution models to Continental, making it a direct peer in the global tire market.
- Hankook Tire: Hankook is a major Korean tire manufacturer gaining global share across passenger car, SUV, and commercial vehicle segments, increasingly competing with Continental for OEM fitments and replacement market share worldwide.
- Yokohama Rubber: Yokohama is a Japanese tire manufacturer producing passenger, commercial, and OTR tires, competing with Continental globally in OEM and replacement channels with comparable product breadth.
- Pirelli: Pirelli is a premium-tier tire manufacturer with strong positions in passenger car, motorcycle, and high-performance/specialty tires, competing directly with Continental in OEM fitments and premium replacement segments, particularly in Europe.
Broad incumbents
- Schaeffler (post-Vitesco merger): Schaeffler is a major automotive supplier that merged with Vitesco Technologies (Continental's former powertrain spin-off) and operates broadly in automotive components. It is comparable as a former Continental group entity and global automotive supplier rather than direct tire competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks4 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
Profiles4 records
Continental subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 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&A
Investments
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 develops and manufactures tires and industrial rubber/polymer solutions. Its Tires division produces passenger car, commercial vehicle, specialty, and bicycle tires for both OEM fitment and the replacement market, while the ContiTech division supplies industrial rubber and elastomer components (currently being divested to Lone Star Funds).
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.
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. Tires are the primary driver. The others are contiTech and automotive Technologies.
Who are Continental's main competitors?
Toyo Tire Corporation is listed as an emerging player. Nokian Tyres is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Michelin, Bridgestone, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Hankook Tire, Yokohama Rubber and Pirelli. Schaeffler (post-Vitesco merger) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Continental have an API?
No public API is recorded for Continental.
What industry is Continental in?
Continental's product category is Tire Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAIAK, Tires Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMANAKAC, Commercial Truck & Bus Tires Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 32621 and its SIC code is 3011.