Continental invests R$23 million in a new Technical Center in Salto for further Growth

With an investment of R$23 million (€ 9.3 million), the tech center will bring new high-tech resources to support new projects from local vehicle manufacturers, as well as vehicle importers. The tech center is expected to be completed by the middle of 2012 and add fifty direct and indirect new jobs. The hiring of local labor will be preferred for the new opportunities.

Continental’s sees the new tech center as a platform to generating new business. “We already have support agreements signed with the vehicles manufacturers which will come into force in the second half of 2012”, says Maurício Muramoto, Head of the Continental Group in Brazil. The tech center will provide all the main technology and resources of the Powertrain portfolio, making Continental a complete local option for the full supply of engine management systems. According to Anderson Citron, Head of Continental Powertrain Division in Brazil, Salto’s strategic location and existing portfolio of Continental Sensors and Actuators, Engine Management and Fuel Supply technology will allow a fast response in handling new projects and providing services, and make the location Continental Powertrain Brazil’s center of expertise. “This investment positions Continental to meet the current market demand for powertrain technology and ensure outstanding service and support of our customers’ needs”, said Citron. Continental’s customers will have a strong partner to help them develop new engine management systems, using latest-generation equipment which will facilitate testing of emissions, homologation and engine calibration.

Continental’s future tech center will occupy a total area of 2.400 square meters and will be equipped with chassis and engine bench dynamometers, a chemical laboratory, fuel tanks, a climatic pre-conditioning area and climatic chambers large enough to hold some average-sized cars at temperatures of minus 35 to 50 degrees centigrade. The technological center will operate on a two-shift basis, with the possibility to add a third shift according to the business demand. “All tech centers at Continental follow the same standards in regard of tech equipment, test measurement capability and furthermore centralized processes, methods and automation footprint for best efficiency and comparable measurement results worldwide,” added Wendelin Kluegl, Head of Tech Centers, Continental Powertrain.