Continental Tires to expand testing facility in China

Continental Tires plans to invest $5.6 million in the second phase of the research and testing center at its site in Hefei. The move will add more than 22,600 square feet and 12 extra sets of equipment, which will help to increase annual testing capacity by 10,000 tires.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in September, according to an environmental filing, which also noted that the expansion should come on stream within a year. When completed, the center will have additional labs for durability and high speed testing and new facilities for mounting, buzz, squeak and rattle testing and maintenance, repair and overhaul.

"Growth in China and the Asia Pacific region is raising the requirements for Continental Tires' engineering capabilities," said the project's environmental filing. "(The center aims to) meet our premium customers' differentiated demand."

The facility's first phase, which is capable of testing 2,678 tires per year, started full operation in 2016. It accommodates labs for durability testing, high speed testing, strength testing, analysis as well as space for section buffing and rim storage.