Press Release
Excellence Initiative Bears Fruit: Continental
Regensburg Receives Bavarian Quality Award
 Across-the-board victory: Automotive supplier's location achieves outstanding results in
all ten assessment categories
 During on-site visit, jury voiced particular praise for employees' high quality awareness
and location’s "Von erfolgreich zu exzellent" (Transforming Success into Excellence)
initiative.
Regensburg, March 19, 2014. The 2014 Bavarian Quality Award goes to Continental in
Regensburg. Taking part in the competition organized by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs
for the first time, the Continental location won right off the bat and did so with a truly impressive
score. In all ten categories assessed, the expert jury made up of managers, scientists, and highranking administrators attested to the exceptional performance of the automotive supplier's
Regensburg location. The competition rates every aspect of quality management at a company,
from research and development right through to procurement, production, and marketing. Other
categories include quality strategy, quality image in the marketplace, and the integration of the
employees into the quality concept. This renowned award – launched in 1993 as the first accolade
of its kind in Germany – is presented every year to companies employing innovative concepts to
vigorously promote quality assurance. Recipients of the award prior to Continental Regensburg
included the likes of Audi, Siemens, and Sixt.
"This award is a great honor for our location; we are delighted at the jury’s impressive verdict. It
shows we are on the right track with our 'Transforming Success into Excellence' initiative, which
was started at the location in 2012. Buoyed by this award, we will continue on this path with great
resolve – and a certain degree of pride. After all, quality means everything to our company, and
finding ways to improve quality is an ongoing challenge," notes Thomas Ebenhöch, Continental's
location and plant manager in Regensburg. With around 7,000 employees, the location is one of
the largest locations of the Continental Corporation.
Companies cannot put themselves forward for the Bavarian Quality Award. They are, instead,
proposed by the chambers of industry and commerce or by trade associations. Continental
1/3
-2Regensburg was nominated at the initiative of the Regensburg Chamber of Industry and
Commerce. A two-stage selection process then ensued. The first stage requires that the
companies complete a detailed questionnaire on quality management in various areas. Based on
this, the expert jury then decides which companies to shortlist. The second stage comprises an onsite visit, during which the jury ascertains whether the actual implementation of the quality concept
measures up to the company's claims.
The visit to the Continental location in Regensburg thoroughly convinced the experts in all regards.
They not only praised the quality measures implemented as part of the Excellence initiative but
also explicitly underscored the high quality awareness of the entire workforce. It is a verdict that
Hans-Hermann Eismann, Head of Quality at Continental in Regensburg, is only too happy to
confirm: "The focus on quality is well established at the location and is really lived out by our
employees – both in terms of teamwork and within each individual's sphere of responsibility. And
we are, of course, particularly pleased that the jury attached special importance to this aspect."
The Bavarian Quality Award is not the first accolade Continental Regensburg has received. In the
fall of 2013, the location's electronic plant won the "Factory of the Year/GEO" competition in the
category "Production System Excellence" (the award will be presented in Amberg in early April
2014). In 2013, the Continental plant also garnered separate awards each from General Motors,
Volvo, and Chrysler. The automakers present these awards to their best suppliers in recognition of
"Excellent Quality." Another award the location received is the “SIEgER” Award which was
awarded in 2011 by the Bavarian Ministry of State. Furthermore, Continental Regensburg was
presented with an award for its commitment to the health of its employees as well: in 2011, the
location was only the third recipient in Bavaria to receive the "TOP Health Management Award" in
gold for its exemplary employee fitness program.
With sales of around €33.3 billion in 2013, 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 employs around 178,000 people in 49
countries.
The Automotive Group with its three divisions Chassis & Safety (sales of approximately €7.0 billion in
2012, 34,500 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 to
the automotive and commercial vehicle industry, it develops and produces innovative products and systems
2/3
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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.
For direct queries and more information:
Simone Geldhäuser
External Communications
Continental
Powertrain division
Siemensstr. 12
93055 Regensburg, Germany
Ph.: +49 941 790-61302
Fax: +49 941 790 99-61302
simone.geldhaeuser@continental-corporation.com
Susanne Reimann
PR & Online Communication
Continental
Powertrain division
Siemensstr. 12
93055 Regensburg, Germany
Ph.: +49 941 790-8675
Fax: +49 941 790 99-8675
susanne.reimann@continental-corporation.com
www.continental-automotive.de
www.continental-corporation.com