Continental announced Wednesday, Feb. 20, that it will move its corporate headquarters for Continental Tire North America Inc. from Charlotte, N.C., to Lancaster County in South Carolina in 2009.
The new facility will be located about 12 miles from the current facility and will house CTNA’s corporate work force of more than 300 employees. CTNA’s production/warehouse facility, which employs about 160 employees, is under lease and will remain at its current location in Charlotte.
“The move to South Carolina is an important step in our overall growth strategy at Continental Tire,” says Dr. Alan Hippe, president of CTNA and chief financial officer of the Continental Group. “We will be able to put CTNA in an enhanced competitive position and continue to invest in growing our business and our customer base.”
CTNA will invest about $11 million in land and development of the approximately 75,000-square-foot facility. Construction is under way and is expected to be complete in early 2009. The facility is being developed by Forsite Development Inc. and will be located in MacMillan Business Park.
“As South Carolina works to compete in a global economy, our ability to attract world-class companies is increasingly important,” says South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. “Continental’s decision to locate here certainly speaks to our success in that regard. As well, today’s announcement is another sign that our efforts to improve the economic soil conditions and enhance the state’s business climate are working to attract new investment and increase job opportunities throughout South Carolina.”
Once complete, the Lancaster County facility will be in addition to Continental’s North American facilities in Columbia and Blythewood, S.C., bringing the total number of employees to more than 750 statewide.
“This is an exciting move for CTNA and one that’s good for employees, our business and the region,” says Matthias Schoenberg, chief executive officer of CTNA. “We are grateful to Governor Sanford and so many others in the State of South Carolina for the opportunity to relocate there, and we look forward to calling Lancaster County home.”
