• UN World Water Day on March 22 highlights the most important resource for all life
• Tires group sector reduces water withdrawal per ton of product by more than ten percent since 2020, for example by using membranes and reverse osmosis
• Dr. Bernhard Trilken, Head of Manufacturing and Logistics at Continental Tires: We monitor our water use systematically and holistically, while consistently using the latest technologies to reduce, reuse and recycle
• Non-profit organization CDP honors Continental for climate change mitigation and water management, acknowledging proactive commitment to protecting the environment

Hanover, Germany, March 20, 2025. Water is the most important resource for all life. The United Nations World Water Day on March 22 has been reminding us of this since 1992. Water consumption is constantly increasing worldwide - especially in the production of consumer goods. For decades, Continental Tires has been committed to sustainable water management along the entire value chain. After all, water is also an important resource in tire manufacturing. It is used in various states for heating, cooling and cleaning, as well as for the daily needs of employees. Since 2020, Continental has reduced its water withdrawal per ton of product at all locations by more than ten percent, which corresponds to a saving of around 197 million liters of water - enough to fill 79 Olympic-size swimming pools. This has been achieved through systematic and controlled measures to use water more efficiently and to treat and reuse wastewater. Thanks to innovative filtration and membrane technologies, the tire manufacturer already reuses about 90 percent of its wastewater after treatment.

"We monitor our water use systematically and holistically, while consistently using the latest technologies to reduce, reuse and recycle," says Dr. Bernhard Trilken, Head of Manufacturing and Logistics at Continental Tires.

This commitment is paying off. Since 2020, Continental Tires has used significantly less water per ton of tires produced than the industry average. This is the result of internal benchmarking with other leading tire manufacturers worldwide, all members of the Tire Industry Project of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. "By 2030, we want to reduce water withdrawals per ton of product by 20 percent compared to 2020. In regions where water resources are at high risk, water withdrawals should be reduced by up to 40 percent. With a reduction of more than 10 percent in the last four years, we have come a big step closer to our ambition," says Trilken.

As early as 1993, Continental officially incorporated environmental protection into its vision, values and corporate identity. For more than 30 years, the company has systematically recorded the water consumption of its manufacturing plants and products and consistently implemented a series of measures to continuously reduce water withdrawal. One example is the conversion of its production facilities from water-based to air-based cooling systems in 1996. Through training and internal campaigns such as the "Sustainable Water Initiative in Manufacturing" (SWIM), Continental Tires is raising awareness among employees in production-related departments and administration about how they can help reduce water withdrawals since 2021. The company systematically invests in state-of-the-art technologies to further minimize water consumption.

Innovative filtration and membrane technologies for water recycling

Continental relies on intelligent solutions along the entire value chain to improve water quality. One of these technologies is based on membrane pores that are produced using the latest materials science and advanced treatment technologies. These precision-engineered membrane pores are extremely effective against contaminants and allow water to be efficiently reused in a wide range of wastewater streams. As a result, approximately 90 percent of process wastewater can be reused after treatment.

Efficient steam treatment through reverse osmosis technologies

To treat steam, Continental uses reverse osmosis technology, in which water is forced at high pressure through a semi-permeable membrane to remove impurities. This minimizes the volume of wastewater and improves the efficiency of softening and desalination systems that remove minerals such as calcium and magnesium from the water to prevent limescale deposits, extending the service life of facilities. Technical measures include replacing inefficient water filters, minimizing backwashing and reusing steam condensate.

Ambitious sustainability targets for all production locations

Water withdrawal is reduced by recycling cooling water and steam, and by optimizing the water circuits in the compounding and extrusion processes that Continental uses to produce its tires. An online monitoring system that tracks and records total water withdrawal at all of Continentals tire production sites worldwide improves operational efficiency by identifying and preventing water losses. "Our consumption monitoring system documents the water flows at various inlet and outlet points. If we detect that the reading for a particular process exceeds the specified limit, the system immediately sounds an alarm," says Henning Mühlenstedt, Head of Future Technologies and Sustainable Infrastructure at Continental Tires. These measures are supported by comprehensive risk assessments and water audits at all production sites worldwide. This enables targeted improvements and contributes significantly to water conservation and reuse.

Every drop counts: rainwater collection and water-efficient installations

Continental also reduces regular water withdrawals at its production sites by reusing wastewater, collecting rainwater, reducing consumption and installing water-saving flushing systems and touchless faucets on wash basins. These measures also help to conserve water resources.

Continental honored for climate change mitigation and water management

With its global sustainability projects, Continental is actively taking responsibility for environmental protection and its carbon footprint. This has been confirmed for the seventh year in a row by the international non-profit organization CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project). CDP has honored Continental with the so-called "Leadership" status A- in the area of climate protection for the year 2024. In the area of water protection, Continental received a B rating. This shows that the company is also making significant progress in implementing measures for the sustainable use and protection of water resources. Continental has been participating in this important environmental ranking for twelve years.

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2024, Continental generated sales of €39.7 billion and currently employs around 190,000 people in 55 countries and markets.

Tire solutions from the Tires group sector make mobility safer, smarter, and more sustainable. Its premium portfolio encompasses car, truck, bus, two-wheel, and specialty tires as well as smart solutions and services for fleets and tire retailers. Continental has been delivering top performance for more than 150 years and is one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers. In fiscal 2024, the Tires group sector generated sales of 13.9 billion euros. Continental's tire division employs more than 57,000 people worldwide and has 20 production and 16 development sites.

Dr. Bernhard Trilken, Head of Manufacturing and Logistics at Continental Tires.

Henning Mühlenstedt, Head of Future Technologies and Sustainable Infrastructure at Continental Tires.

Water is an important resource in tire manufacturing. It is used in various states for heating, cooling and cleaning.