Continental Tire Employees Recognized for Outstanding Performance and Achievement

FORT MILL, S.C., March 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (CTA) earned global recognition during the company's recent ContiTire Awards ceremony in Hannover, Germany, when two of the five prestigious awards were presented to CTA team members.

The ContiTire Awards is a long-standing company tradition that recognizes employees worldwide for superior achievements and commitment to excellence. Each year, company leaders present ContiTire Awards to acknowledge employees' exceptional performance as part of project teams that provide outstanding value to the corporation. CTA's strong presence at the recent awards ceremony is indicative of the organization's dedication and commitment to excellence — and its key role in Continental Tire's success in the global marketplace.

"I would like to commend these Continental Tire team members for their dedication to our company and for their outstanding performance," said Matthias Schoenberg, CEO, Continental Tire the Americas.  "Because of employees like them, Continental Tire has become the benchmark of quality and innovation."

The two CTA ContiTire Awards recipients were:

• Commercial Vehicle Tires Americas (CVT)
• Bruce Wells, manufacturing manager, Mt. Vernon, Ill.

The CVT Americas management team was acknowledged with a ContiTire Award in the "discovering and exploring growth opportunities" category. The team consisting of John Barnes, Greg Bednarcik, Carlos Chavez, Arturo Christiani, Oscar Jiminez, Manisha Manmohan, and Javier Mendoza was honored for creating a network of ContiTread shops in Mexico that produce a Continental-brand retreaded truck tire option for fleet customers seeking a complete lifecycle solution.

The project team demonstrated outstanding determination, communication and innovation as they expanded production of ContiTreads, Continental's commercial vehicle retread offering. These new ContiTread shops were a solution that maintained solid professional relationships with existing dealers in Mexico, include advances in equipment, processes and marketing strategies to meet the ever-changing tire needs of fleets, and created opportunities for new business with dealers and fleet customers alike.

Bruce Wells is CTA's second 2010 ContiTire Award recipient.  Since being appointed manufacturing manager at the Mt. Vernon, Ill. facility, Wells developed ideas to increase the plant's production by more than 4,500 tires per day, while decreasing scrap totals and process costs.  Wells' leadership, paired with the team-first attitude and increased productivity at the Mt. Vernon facility earned Wells the ContiTire Award for "leadership to excellence."

About Continental

With annual sales of more than EUR 25.5 billion for 2010, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 149,000 in 46 countries.

Continental Tire is a division of the Continental Corporation and offers a complete premium line of ultra-high-performance passenger, light truck and commercial vehicle tires that instill confidence and a passion for driving. Continental tires are fitted as original equipment on many of the world's finest cars and trucks. Learn more about Continental Tire by visiting us at www.continentaltire.com.

Online media database: www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com

Continental Tire The Americas Media Site: www.ctamedia.com

SOURCE Continental Tire the Americas, LLC