Continental breaks ground on new Illinois warehouse
Mount Vernon, IL – Continental celebrated the groundbreaking of its new highly automated finished-goods warehouse during a ceremony at its Mount Vernon, Illinois, tire plant Thursday. The event brought together plant employees, local officials and project stakeholders to mark the beginning of construction on the facility, which represents an investment of approximately $76 million and is expected to begin operations in 2027.
The new warehouse will support Continental’s growing business in North America by enhancing distribution capabilities, improving customer service and increasing logistics efficiency. Once completed, the facility will provide storage capacity for approximately 500,000 passenger car tires and will cover an area larger than six American football fields.
During the ceremony, Nik Pearce, plant manager of Continental’s Mount Vernon plant, addressed attendees and highlighted the significance of the investment for the future of the site and the local community.
“Today’s groundbreaking reflects Continental’s continued commitment to Mount Vernon and our employees,” Pearce said. “This new warehouse will enhance our operational capabilities, improve logistics efficiency and support the long-term growth of our business in North America. We are proud to celebrate this important milestone and excited to begin the next chapter for our site.”
The investment aligns with Continental’s broader strategy to strengthen its North American distribution network while advancing automation and digitalization across its manufacturing and logistics operations. The company seeks to further enhance its ability to serve customers with greater speed and flexibility throughout the region.
“Our new highly automated finished-goods warehouse underscores our growth ambitions in North America,” said Tansu Işık, CEO of Continental Tire Americas. “The new facility will enhance our ability to serve customers with greater speed and flexibility while strengthening our overall distribution network in the region.”
The Mount Vernon site is Continental’s largest tire plant in the United States and an important part of its Americas production and supply network. Tires have been manufactured at the Mount Vernon plant for over 50 years. First opened in 1974, Continental acquired the facility in 1987 and today produces tires for passenger cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles. The plant facility spans over 320,000 square meters, and its total production capacity amounts to approximately 11.4 million tires per year. Today, more than 3,500 employees work at the location.