GERMAN firm ContiTech AG has broken ground on the expansion of its plant in Dolné Vestenice, Slovakia.
By building a new production hall, ContiTech Vibration Control, a business unit of ContiTech AG, is enlarging the existing production area by around 4,000 sq m, according to the company press release.
In conjunction with this groundbreaking ceremony, Heinz-Gerhard Wente, a member of the Executive Board at Continental AG and chairman of the Executive Board at ContiTech AG, also opened a new research and development (R&D) centre. In addition, the access roads have been expanded.
ContiTech has reportedly invested around EUR7.5 million in these projects.
“These investments strengthen specific areas of our Dolné Vestenice site,“ explained Kai Frühauf, Head of ContiTech Vibration Control. “The expansion allows us to now focus all our production in Slovakia at one plant and create capacity for additional business,“ added Karl Armbrecht, technical director at the site.
With its own R&D centre with testing and inspection facilities, ContiTech Vibration Control is also enhancing its development expertise in Slovakia. Further expansions are already planned: By 2015, the company estimates it will have doubled its development team to 25 engineers.
ContiTech has been active at the Dolné Vestenice site in Slovakia since 1996. The plant currently has a workforce of around 300. ContiTech Vibration Control is represented at the site with three segments: Automotive, Sealing Systems Chassis, and Vibration Control Industry. It produces vibration control elements for the automotive sector as well as other branches of industry. It additionally turns out sealing technology for brakes and steering systems.
The business unit ContiTech Vibration Control is a globally recognised specialist in vibration control technology and noise isolation. In the automotive market segments, the company develops products and systems for vibration control and noise optimization applications as well as sealing systems for chassis, steering and brake applications. In the Industry market segment, the business unit is a development partner and an original equipment supplier of parts for industrial and agricultural vehicles as well as for motor, machine, and plant engineering.