Continental has been awarded the title of 'Tire Manufacturer of the Year' at the 2025 Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence. The recognition marks the fourth time the German tyre maker has received for sustainable practices and technological innovation in a highly competitive global industry. Alongside this, Continental’s tyre production plant in Lousado, Portugal, was honoured in the category 'Environmental Achievement of the Year – Manufacturing', making Continental the only company to win two major awards at this year’s event.
The awards were presented at the Tire Technology Expo in Hanover, an annual event that brings together leading figures from the tyre manufacturing and research sectors. Continental’s win came against strong competition from companies based in the United States, Italy and France. The judging panel, comprising 27 independent experts from across the tyre industry, noted the company’s substantial progress in increasing the use of sustainable materials and enhancing energy efficiency at its manufacturing facilities.
Edwin Goudswaard, Head of Research and Development, Continental Tires, stated that these awards reflect the company’s innovation capabilities and dedication to reducing environmental impact across its global operations. Continental has recently introduced measures such as using recycled PET bottles in tyre production, expanding its plant in Rayong, Thailand, with high energy-efficiency standards, and adopting ISCC-PLUS certification at facilities in Portugal, Slovakia and China.
The plant in Lousado, which produces up to 18 million tyres annually, has become a model for sustainable manufacturing in the tyre sector. Since 2024, it has operated using a fully electric steam boiler powered by solar energy and renewable grid electricity. This shift has replaced its earlier dependence on natural gas for the vulcanisation process, where rubber is converted into a durable elastic compound. Given that steam generation accounts for a major share of energy use in tyre production, the move significantly reduces the plant’s carbon footprint. Continental plans to extend such carbon-neutral practices across all its tyre manufacturing units by 2040.
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