Five dynamic and flexible business areas in Automotive. Tires and ContiTech now independent group sectors.
New organizational structure
Since January 1, 2022, the Continental Group has been divided into four group sectors: Automotive, Tires, ContiTech and Contract Manufacturing. These comprise a total of 17 business areas.
The former Autonomous Mobility and Safety (AMS) and Vehicle Networking and Information (VNI) business areas were dissolved with effect from January 1, 2022. At the same time, five new, dynamic and flexible business areas were created. Their organizational structure is based on the business strategy of the Automotive group sector and thus on market development in the context of the transformation of the mobility industry.
Tires and ContiTech are now independent group sectors, and the former consolidation of business areas in Rubber Technologies has been dissolved.
Following the spin-off of Vitesco Technologies, Contract Manufacturing was created as both a new group sector and business area. Contract Manufacturing comprises contract manufacturing for Vitesco Technologies and therefore the continuing operations of the former Powertrain Technologies group sector.
Business responsibility
A group sector or business area with overall responsibility for a business, including its results, is classified according to product requirements, market trends, customer groups and distribution channels.
Overall responsibility for managing the company is borne by the Executive Board of Continental Aktiengesellschaft (AG). The Automotive, Tires and ContiTech group sectors are each represented on the Executive Board.
With the exception of Group Purchasing, the central functions of Continental AG are represented by the chairman of the Executive Board, the chief financial officer and the Executive Board member responsible for Human Relations, and assume the functions required to manage the Continental Group across the group sectors. These include, in particular, finance, controlling, compliance, law, IT, human relations, sustainability, as well as quality and environment.
Customer structure
With a 61% share of consolidated sales, the automotive industry – with the exception of the replacement business – is our most important customer group. This industry is particularly important for the growth of the Automotive group sector. In the Tires group sector, sales to dealers and end users represent the largest share of the tire-replacement business. In the ContiTech group sector, the customer base is made up of the automotive industry and other key industries such as railway engineering, machine and plant construction, mining and the replacement business. In the Contract Manufacturing group sector, Vitesco Technologies constitutes the sole customer.
527 locations in 58 countries and markets
Companies and locations
Continental AG is the parent company of the Continental Group. In addition to Continental AG, the Continental Group comprises 472 companies, including non-controlled companies. The Continental team is made up of 190,875 employees at a total of 527 locations in the areas of production, research and development, and administration, in 58 countries and markets. Added to this are distribution locations, with 944 company-owned tire outlets and a total of around 5,200 franchises and operations with a Continental brand presence.
Structure of the Continental Group in 2022
The Automotive group sector comprises technologies for passive safety, brake, chassis, motion and motion control systems. Innovative solutions for assisted and automated driving, display and operating technologies, as well as audio and camera solutions for the vehicle interior, are also part of the portfolio, as is intelligent information and communication technology for the mobility services of fleet operators and commercial vehicle manufacturers. Comprehensive activities relating to connectivity technologies, vehicle electronics and high-performance computers round off the range of products and services. The group sector is divided into five business areas:
- Architecture and Networking
- Autonomous Mobility
- Safety and Motion
- Smart Mobility
- User Experience
With its premium portfolio in the car, truck, bus, two-wheel and specialty tire segment, the Tires group sector stands for innovative solutions in tire technology. Intelligent products and services related to tires and the promotion of sustainability complete the product portfolio. For specialist dealers and fleet management, Tires offers digital tire monitoring and tire management systems, in addition to other services, with the aim of keeping fleets mobile and increasing their efficiency. With its tires, Continental makes a significant contribution to safe, efficient and environmentally friendly mobility. In the reporting year, 21% of sales in Tires related to business with vehicle manufacturers, and 79% related to the tire-replacement business. The group sector is divided into five business areas:
- Original Equipment
- Replacement APAC
- Replacement EMEA
- Replacement The Americas
- Specialty Tires
The ContiTech group sector develops and manufactures, for example, cross-material, environmentally friendly and intelligent products and systems for the automotive industry, railway engineering, mining, agriculture and other key industries. Guided by the vision of “smart and sustainable solutions beyond rubber,” the group sector draws on its long-standing knowledge of the industry and materials to open up new business opportunities by combining various materials with electronic components and individual services. In the reporting year, 48% of sales in ContiTech related to business with automotive manufacturers, and 52% to business with other industries and in the automotive replacement market. The group sector is divided into six business areas:
- Advanced Dynamics Solutions
- Conveying Solutions
- Industrial Fluid Solutions
- Mobile Fluid Systems
- Power Transmission Group
- Surface Solutions
As of September 2021, the contract manufacturing of products by Continental companies for Vitesco Technologies has been consolidated in the Contract Manufacturing group sector. This contract manufacturing is not intended to be a permanent situation; rather, the operational separation of production will be promoted in the coming years, and the volume of contract manufacturing reduced. Contract Manufacturing includes one business area:
- Contract Manufacturing
Globally interconnected value creation
Research and development (R&D) took place at 84 locations in the reporting year, predominantly in close proximity to our customers to ensure that we can respond flexibly to their various requirements and to regional market conditions. This applies particularly to projects of the Automotive and ContiTech group sectors. In the Tires group sector, R&D is largely centrally organized, since product requirements for tires are much the same across the world. They are adapted according to the specific requirements of each market. Continental generally invests between 7% and 8% of sales in R&D each year. For more information, see the Research and Development section.
Continental processes a wide range of raw materials and semi-finished products. The purchasing volume in the reporting year was €23.2 billion in total, €15.7 billion of which was for production materials. The Automotive and Contract Manufacturing group sectors use primarily steel, aluminum, precious metals, copper and plastics. Electronics and electromechanical components together make up around 37% of the Continental Group’s purchasing volume for production materials, while mechanical components account for around 15%. Natural rubber and oil-based chemicals such as synthetic rubber and carbon black are key raw materials for the Tires and ContiTech group sectors. The total purchasing volume for these materials amounts to around 23% of the total volume for production materials. For more information, see the Development of Raw Materials Markets section in the economic report.
Production and sales in the Automotive and ContiTech group sectors are organized across regions. For the Tires group sector, economies of scale play a key role when it comes to tire manufacturing. Low production costs coupled with large volumes and proximity to our customers or high rates of regional growth constitute key success factors. For this reason, manufacturing takes place at major locations in the dominant automotive markets, namely Europe, the USA and China. Tires are sold worldwide via our dealer network with tire outlets and franchises, as well as through tire trading in general.
Globally interconnected value creation
