Press Release
Continental Concentrates European Production of
High-Volume Fuel Supply Units in New Plant
 Official opening of Continental production facility in Brasov (Romania), representing
40-million euro investment
 Modern logistics and production technologies guarantee top quality standards and
ensure long-term competitiveness
 At full capacity the plant will produce seven million fuel supply units per year
 Close ties to centers of competence in Dortmund and Bebra
Brasov, Romania, October 1, 2013. The Fuel Supply business unit of the Continental Powertrain
Division will concentrate its high-volume production in Europe. The international automotive
supplier has commissioned a new plant for fuel pumps and fuel supply units in an industrial park
near Brasov, Romania. Continental is one of the world’s leading fuel supply specialists and intends
to supply automobile plants throughout Europe from Brasov. The company has invested 40 million
euros in the ultra-modern facility with a production capacity of seven million fuel supply units per
year. About five hundred people will be working at the plant by the end of the year. Among the
guests at the official opening ceremony were Dorel Toma, Mayor of Ghimbav, Thomas Gerlach,
Consul general representing Germany in Sibiu, José Avila, Member of the Executive Board
Continental AG and President of the Powertrain Division, and Christian Albrichsfeld, General
Manager of Continental Automotive, Romania.
An “integrated facility” with ultra flexible manufacturing
“Since Brasov is going to be our main production facility in Europe, it will work closely with
Dortmund and Bebra,” said Markus Distelhoff, head of the global Fuel Supply business unit.
“Dortmund is our worldwide center of competence for the development of new technologies and
production processes for fuel supply units while Bebra is our center of competence for fuel pumps.
The new factory will be the business unit’s first “integrated facility” in Europe. “We are bundling
three main competencies here: the manufacture of electrical fuel pumps, injection molding and
assembly of entire fuel supply units.” The plant employs the latest concepts in manufacturing and
logistics, which will allow it to meet the demands of today’s automotive industry. “Automobile
manufacturers have multiplied the number of models they build over the last 20 years so we have
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-2to make sure that our manufacturing processes are flexible. Whereas we used to be able to make
three variants on one assembly line, the same line in Brasov will now be able to produce 16
variants,” says Distelhoff. The new plant will greatly enhance competitiveness in Europe over the
long term. One of the main reasons for this is its consistent orientation towards quality. “Of course
we will implement the Continental ‘Quality first’ initiative in Brasov as well. All of our manufacturing
processes conform to our zero-error philosophy,” says Distelhoff.
Sophisticated logistics and minimal inventories
Among the many innovations at the plant is an internal transport concept which eliminates pallets
or cartons from the factory floor. As parts are received, they go into standardized plastic boxes
which a semi-automated system then transports to the job site. “This pallet-free system will help us
shorten throughput times for products and reduce manufacturing inventory. It also will be tidier
because there will be no more packaging in the production area, thus reducing the risk of
contamination,” explains Rainer Kehnscherper, General Manager, Continental Powertrain Romania
SRL. It was also possible to drastically reduce the buffer time (usually three days’ worth of
production) in the event of a work stoppage. The maintenance concept is oriented towards Total
Productive Maintenance (TPM), meaning that disruptions cannot possibly lead to an extended
work stoppage. “The Jidoka principle also aids us here. It helps us to locate reasons for
breakdowns quickly and to remedy them lastingly. Brasov is the first Continental plant in Europe to
implement Jidoka Level 2,” says Kehnscherper.
Modern fuel pumps help reduce CO2
Every automobile that is powered by an internal combustion engine also has a fuel supply unit. In
contrast to the injector pump on the engine, the fuel pump is located in the tank where it furnishes
the engine with a constant supply of fuel under any driving conditions, including when the tank is
near low and in curves or in grades (up or downhill drives). Innovative solutions like demand-driven
brushless fuel pumps (also manufactured in Brasov) make a major contribution to upping energy
efficiency and thus, to reducing a car’s CO2 emissions. Common fuel supply units are usually
calibrated for maximum consumption, which actually occurs only five percent of the time. They
therefore pump too much fuel to the engine and then pump the excess back into the tank, which
results in a constant reshuffling of the tank contents. A demand-driven pump has an electronic
control device that calibrates the exact amount of fuel that the engine needs. The brushless electric
motors used in the pumps have a particularly long service life.
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-3Continental in Romania
The Continental Group has invested more than 700 million euros in Romania. Both the Automotive
Group and the Rubber Group are present. All five divisions of the automotive supplier are active in
Romania, operating seven manufacturing facilities plus three research and development offices in
Timisoara, Sibiu, Carei, Nadab, Brasov and Iasi. The Group is also partner in a joint venture in
Slatina and operates a tire distribution center for Eastern Europe in Sãcãlaz. Continental currently
employs some 12,000 people in Romania.
With sales of €32.7 billion in 2012, 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 an expert partner in networked
automobile communication. Continental currently has almost 175,000 employees in 46 countries.
The Automotive Group with its three divisions Chassis & Safety (sales of approximately €7,0 billion in 2012,
34.5000 employees), Powertrain (sales of approximately €6,1 billion in 2012, 31,000 employees) and Interior
(sales of approximately €6.4 billion in 2012, 33,000 employees) achieved sales of approximately €19,5 billion
in 2012. The Automotive Group is present in more than 170 locations worldwide. As a partner of 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, airbag electronics and -sensorics, 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, 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 cockpit modules and systems.
Contact for Journalists:
Simone Geldhäuser
External Communications
Continental
Powertrain Division
Siemensstr. 12
93055 Regensburg / Germany
Phone: +49 941 790-61302
Fax: +49 941 790-99 61302
E-Mail: simone.geldhaeuser@continentalcorporation.com
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