European Sustainability Award for CLC Plant

In November 2013, Continental received the European Transport Sustainability Award for its new ContiLifeCycle plant in Hanover-Stöcken, which combines technically advanced tire retreading with eco-friendly rubber recycling. The HUSS publishing company in Munich grants the European Transport Sustainability Award every two years to recognize the developments and achievements of the commercial vehicle industry with regard to sustainable products.

The jury of seven renowned experts from research, technology, and transport gave the new ContiLifeCycle plant top grades. Three categories were assessed and rated: 1. Economy: Process optimization and cost saving (30%); 2. Ecology: Life cycle assessment of the product (40%); 3. Social responsibility: Conservation of environmental resources, environmental protection, workplace conditions (30%).

Innovative and technically advanced equipment is used at the ContiLifeCycle plant to repro-cess worn truck tires in a hot retreading process, which conserves resources. This uses around 50% less energy and around 80% less water compared to the production of new tires. The buffing that are produced during retreading are further processed into rubber recyclate, which is used in the production of new and retreaded tires. This can save 7,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide in the production process every year; the amount of waste is cut by 80%. The retreaded tires offer the same performance characteristics and rolling resistance as new tires.