Global tyre manufacturer Continental has eliminated coal and heavy fuel oil from all of its tyre production plants.
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Global tyre manufacturer Continental has eliminated coal and heavy fuel oil from all of its tyre production plants worldwide, marking a significant shift in how its factories generate the steam required for manufacturing.
From January 2026, every Continental tyre plant has relied on alternative energy sources for steam generation and heating. These include biomass, biogas, renewable electricity and lower-emission fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas.
The move forms part of the company’s broader strategy to reduce production-related emissions and diversify its energy mix.
Until the early 2020s, seven of Continental’s 19 global tyre plants were still using coal or heavy fuel oil to produce steam. At the time, this ensured consistent thermal output and operational reliability, particularly in regions where gas and electricity infrastructure were limited.
Over the past few years, the group has invested in alternative systems, allowing it to transition away from fossil-based steam generation entirely.
Steam plays a central role in tyre manufacturing. A large share of plant energy demand is tied to heating processes, particularly vulcanisation, which gives rubber its elasticity and structural integrity.
Historically, this heat was generated directly from fossil fuels. More recently, electric technologies and alternative boilers have enabled greater flexibility and improved efficiency in the process.
Since 2020, Continental has also purchased electricity for its plants exclusively from renewable sources.
According to the company, the greenhouse gas intensity of its tyre production fell by more than 10% in 2025 compared to the previous year, and by around 70% compared to 2019 levels. Over the past four years, the shift to lower-emission energy sources has reduced carbon dioxide output from tyre production by approximately 180,000 metric tons.
“For us, coal and heavy fuel oil are a thing of the past. The future increasingly lies in renewable energies,” said Dr Bernhard Trilken, head of Manufacturing and Logistics at Continental Tires.
The transition has played out differently across regions, depending on local infrastructure and available energy sources.
At Continental’s plant in Gqeberha, South Africa, coal was historically used to generate steam. The facility has since switched to biomass, with LPG used to cover the remaining energy demand.
For Continental’s South African operation in Gqeberha, it signals a move away from coal dependency in an industrial environment where such transitions remain complex.
In Kalutara, Sri Lanka, the tyre plant commissioned a second biomass boiler last year, enabling the complete elimination of heavy fuel oil. The site now generates all of its steam requirements from renewable biomass.
A similar change has taken place in Otrokovice in the Czech Republic. There, Continental worked with its regional energy supplier to gradually shift the fuel mix of the local power plant from coal to biomass and natural gas.
As a result, the tyre factory now receives steam generated predominantly from biomass. The change also affects surrounding communities, which benefit from district heating supplied through a cleaner energy mix.
Across its network, Continental now uses a combination of biomass, biogas, renewable electricity, LPG and natural gas to reduce overall CO₂ emissions from tyre production.
The precise energy mix differs from plant to plant, shaped by regional energy markets and supply reliability, but the common factor is the removal of coal and heavy fuel oil from the system.
In 2025, the independent environmental disclosure organisation CDP awarded Continental an A-rating for climate transparency and CO₂ reduction measures.