Conti donates funds, tyres to mark HQ expansion

ERJ staff report (TB)

Lancaster County, South Carolina -- Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C. (CTA) marked the completion of a $4 million expansion of its headquarters building in Lancaster County with charitable donations to the local fire department and Boys & Girls Club.

Continental held a ceremony today at the expanded facility, during which CTA CEO Jochen Etzel handed off a $10,000 donation to the local Boys & Girls Clubs and donated a supply of truck tyres to the Lancaster County Fire Department.

The expansion increased the size of the three-year-old headquarters more than 21 percent to 91,000 square feet, creating room for 80 new employees CTA plans to hire in the next four years. The structure houses roughly 375 employees now.

The celebration was attended by government officials, including South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt, Lancaster County Chairwoman Kathy Sistare, local dignitaries and employees.

“Continental Tire the Americas has enjoyed an outstanding relationship with the local community over the past few years,” Etzel said. “We find it of the upmost importance to reciprocate the support that.

Lancaster County and the State of South Carolina have offered us, through unmatched hospitality and a compelling business environment.”

“Continental Tire the Americas has experienced significant business growth due to the increasing demand for Continental- and General-brand passenger, light truck, and commercial tyres,” Etzel said. “As a result, our company is able to invest in and expand our facilities to meet such needs. We are committed to increasing our production capacity in the Americas region so that we can meet the growing needs of our loyal customers.”

The addition is just one part of CTA's company investment plan in South Carolina. The company is in the midst of building a $500 million car and light truck tyre plant in Sumter, S.C., and hopes to complete the first phase of the facility in 2013. That plant should create more than 1,600 jobs.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)