Continental expands capacity of its tire plant in Rayong, Thailand

Hanover, Germany – Continental is boosting the production capacity of its tire
plant in Rayong, Thailand, by additional 3 million units per year. The gradual expansion plan of the
operations stands for a planned total investment of more than 300 million euros (13 billion Thai
Baht). The Board of Investment of Thailand is supporting the project under its Investment
Stimulation Measure for Economic Recovery Scheme, thus supporting Continental’s ongoing
growth in Thailand and the APAC region. This expansion will create approx. 600 additional jobs in
the upcoming years. With more than 900 employees already working in its Rayong tire plant, the
company is reinforcing its commitment to the Thai market and the Asia-Pacific region.
“Our latest capacity expansion in Rayong reflects our strong growth in the Asia-Pacific region, one
of Continental Tires’ strategic growth markets. With our increased production capacity, we will
meet the demands of our customers even better, locally in Thailand, and regionally in the Asia-
Pacific markets,” says Dalibor Kalina, Head of Continentals Business Area Replacement Tires in
the Asia-Pacific region.
“At Rayong, we take great pride in being a very versatile and reliable part of Continental’s global
tire production network. We supply the vehicle manufacturers and the replacement tire sector with
both passenger, light truck tires and motorcycle tires. Our latest expansion is a significant
milestone in addition to this year’s anniversaries of 15 years of tire business in Thailand and five
years of tire production in Rayong,” says Vignesh Devasenapathy, Plant Manager of the
Continental tire plant in Rayong. He adds: “I want to thank my entire team for their passion and
dedication in delivering our commitments to our customers, which is the basis for our success here
at Rayong.”
At its Rayong plant, Continental produces premium tires, like the MaxContact MC7, and other tire
lines that also meet the specific requirements of electric vehicles. In 2023, Continental equipped all
the top five highest-volume manufacturers of electric vehicles in the Asia-Pacific region with
original equipment tires. In addition, Rayong is one of the biggest Continental motorcycle
production facilities worldwide.
Moreover, the plant meets highest energy efficiency standards. Its machinery is equipped with
latest production technologies, while logistics and handling processes are highly automated. With a
photovoltaic capacity of 6.7 megawatts peak, 13 percent of the annual electricity necessary in tire
production can be covered by renewable energy sources.
Continental is consistently investing in the sustainability, digitalization and automation of its global
production in its 20 tire plants in 16 countries worldwide. The focus is on the research and
development of new innovative technologies, alternative materials and environmentally friendly
production processes, as well as on the continuous improvement of the overall efficiency of
logistics processes.