Press Release
Continental Opens Worldwide Competence Center
for Sensors and Actuators in Ostrava
 Automotive supplier extends production at the Frenstat site in the Czech Republic and
moves S&A development to nearby Ostrava
 Plans to increase the workforce of the new site to 200 employees in the medium term, with
mainly development engineers comprising more than half
 With its renowned technical university, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic has the
potential to provide a large highly skilled workforce
Regensburg, Ostrava (Czech Republic), May 9, 2014. International automotive supplier Continental
is strengthening its presence in the Czech Republic: The Sensors & Actuators (S&A) Business
Unit, which is part of the Continental Powertrain Division, has opened a competence center in
Ostrava, which is responsible for worldwide research and development in the field of sensors and
actuators. These high-tech systems play an increasingly important role in further reducing
emissions and fuel consumption of highly efficient low-emission combustion engines in modern
cars.
The growth of this business segment is also the reason for opening this new site. S&A
development was previously located in Frenstat, which is 40 km south of Ostrava. Continental has
a large production site here where products from all three of the Automotive divisions are produced
and which employs 2.500 people. "The expansion of production in Frenstat, especially in the area
of sensors and actuators, made it necessary to relocate our development department," explains
Klaus Hau, Head of the Sensors & Actuators Business Unit. "We chose Ostrava as the site for our
new competence center for a number of reasons, including its proximity to Frenstat and its easily
accessible location. The deciding factor, however, is the potential for growth that Ostrava offers us
as a major city with a renowned technical university. This is because our highly qualified
employees are our most important asset. For example, working together with the university enables
us to make the specialists of tomorrow aware early on of the prospects that we can offer them as a
world-leading automotive supplier."
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Your contact:
Simone Geldhäuser, +49 941 790 61302
The new competence center is located in a modern laboratory and office complex with nearly 5.000
square meters of floor space. While the office building was already built, the building with the
laboratories and workshops has been newly constructed. The relocation from Frenstat takes place
in two stages: The majority of the workforce moved to Ostrava in April, with the remaining
employees moving there gradually by July. When the relocation phase is complete, around 160
employees will work in the new center. In the medium term, there are plans to increase the
workforce to 200 employees. "The modern office space and the new laboratory wing provide us
with very good working conditions," says Mojmir Sustala, Head of S&A activities in Ostrava. "And
what is important with a view to the future is that this site gives us the flexibility we need for further
expansion. Overall the building has space for 250 employees."
Ostrava is in the north-east of the Czech Republic, close to the border with Poland and around 50
km from the Slovakian border. With around 300,000 inhabitants, the city on the River Oder is the
third-largest in the Czech Republic after Prague and Brno. Ostrava has a long tradition as an
industrial center and has a major engineering school, the Technical University of Ostrava (VSB),
which also has electrical engineering, computer science, and metallurgy faculties, for example.
The products of the Continental Sensors & Actuators Business Unit play a central role in further
reducing emissions and fuel consumption in modern combustion engines. Innovations developed
by Continental include sensors for measuring nitrogen oxide (NOx), for example, which constantly
measure the proportion of nitrogen oxide in exhaust gas and enable it to be adjusted precisely, and
the Continental high-temperature sensor with a measure range of up to 1250 degrees Celsius, a
key component for optimal exhaust gas aftertreatment. As regards actuators (systems which
convert electric signals into movement), the S&A Business Unit is one of the world-leading
suppliers of electronically controlled throttle valves and exhaust gas recirculation valves, for
example.
The Continental Corporation in the Czech Republic
The Continental Corporation now has a total of seven sites in the Czech Republic, six of which
belong to Continental Automotive. In addition to Frenstat and Ostrava, there is Brandys near
Prague, Trutnov and Adrspach in the north near the Polish border, and Jicin, about halfway
between Prague and Trutnov. The Tire group of Continental also has a production site in
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Your contact:
Simone Geldhäuser, +49 941 790 61302
Otrokovice in the south-east of the country. In total, the Corporation presently has around 13.000
employees in the Czech Republic.
With sales of around €33.3 billion in 2013, Continental is one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers.
As a provider 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 an expert partner in networked
automobile communication. Continental currently employs around 182,000 people in 49 countries.
The Automotive Group with its three divisions Chassis & Safety (sales of approx. €7.3 billion in 2013,
roughly 36.500 employees), Powertrain (sales of approx. €6.3 billion in 2013, roughly 32,400 employees)
and Interior (sales of approx. €6.6 billion in 2013, roughly 34,400 employees) achieved sales of
approximately €20 billion in 2013. The Automotive Group is present in more than 170 locations worldwide.
As a partner to the automotive and commercial vehicle industry, it develops and produces innovative
products and systems for a modern automotive future in which cars provide individual mobility and driving
pleasure consistent with driving safety, environmental responsibility, and cost-efficiency.
The Chassis & Safety division develops and produces electronic and hydraulic brake and chassis control
systems, sensors, driver assistance systems, air bag electronics and sensors, washer systems, and
electronic air suspension systems. Its core competence is the integration of active and passive driving safety
into ContiGuard. The Powertrain division integrates innovative and efficient system solutions for vehicle
powertrains. The comprehensive range of products includes gasoline and diesel injection systems, engine
management and transmission control, including sensors and actuators, as well as fuel supply systems, and
components and systems for hybrid and electric drives. Information management is at the very heart of the
Interior division, which provides a range of products that includes instrument clusters and multifunctional
displays, control units, electronic car-entry systems, tire-monitoring systems, radios, multimedia and
navigation systems, climate control systems, telematics solutions, and cockpits.
Press Contact:
Simone Geldhäuser
External Communication
Continental
Division Powertrain
Siemensstr. 12
93055 Regensburg, Germany
Phone: +49 941 790 61302
Fax: +49 941 79099 61302
E-mail: Simone.Geldhaeuser@continentalcorporation.com
This press release is available in the following languages: German, English, Czech
Links: Online press portal: www.continental-presse.de
Your contact:
Simone Geldhäuser, +49 941 790 61302