ContiTech opened a new production facility in Ponta
Grossa, Brazil, for textile and steel cord conveyor belts.
"The new
site gives us an even greater presence and brings us closer to our
customers, creating an even firmer foundation for our activities in
this important region", explains Hans-Jürgen Duensing, head of the
ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group at the opening ceremony. “Brazil is far
and away the largest market in South America. It accounts for about
fifty percent of total volume in the conveyor belt sector in that part
of the world. Establishing a manufacturing base in the Brazilian market
was therefore an essential move strategically. It also helps us
significantly improve our delivery service.“
ContiTech’s conveyor belt operations will make textile and steel-cord conveyor belts on a production area of 5,000 m2.
Over 60 new jobs have been created in the course of this expansion. The
facility is designed for an annual output of 300 kilometers of conveyor
belting. The total amount invested so far by ContiTech in the hall,
machinery and equipment for the production of the conveyor belts
amounts to more than 10 million euros. The Conveyor Belt Group is
ContiTech’s fourth business unit to set up manufacturing operations in
Ponta Grossa, thus further strengthening the Conti do Brasil site.
Fluid Technology (hoses), Power Transmission Group (drive belts) and
Vibration Control (engine mounting systems) have already been operating
there successfully for more than ten years now.
For
its part the ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group reported sales of €427
million in 2009. It currently has a workforce of around 3,000
worldwide.