The Continental plant in Púchov, Slovakia, recently became the company’s first tire plant also producing truck tires to receive the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS sustainability certification. This globally recognized certification confirms the transparency of the traceability of the raw materials used in the production process. Certification of the raw materials enables Continental to ensure the end-to-end traceability of the materials from sustainable sources. For the premium manufacturer, this represents another step on the journey towards 100-percent sustainable materials in its tire products by 2050 at the latest. Púchov is the company’s third ISCC PLUS-certified production site, following the tire plants in Lousado, Portugal, and Hefei, China.
“Our plant in Púchov is the first Continental truck tire plant to receive the ISCC PLUS certification. It is a sign of our commitment to both quality and sustainability,” says Anton Vatala, Head of the Continental truck tire plant in Púchov, Slovakia.
The ISCC PLUS certification is based on fulfilling and documenting certain raw material mass balancing procedures. In the mass-balance approach, fossil, renewable and recycled raw materials are mixed in existing systems and processes. The quantities used are tracked along the entire value chain and can therefore be allocated proportionately at any time. The mass-balance approach enables Continental to gradually increase the proportion of sustainable materials in its products. It ensures that the balance of certified sustainable materials can be accurately reported.
“Certifying our production processes underpins our extensive efforts in the area of sustainability. With ISCC PLUS, we are able to tackle the transition to a circular economy and a sustainable bio-economy,” says Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires. He adds: “Our aim is to gradually roll out the mass balance approach to all our tire plants worldwide. Púchov is our first truck tire plant to be certified for this purpose.”
ISCC PLUS is an internationally recognized voluntary certification system. It is applicable to the bio-economy and circular economy and certifies non-conventional raw materials that can be used, for example, in the areas of foodstuffs, animal feed, chemicals, plastics, packaging and textiles. The various criteria required for ISCC PLUS certification include the traceability of raw materials, compliance with environmental standards, the protection of ecosystems, ensuring compliance with labor and human rights and the promotion of sustainable economic development.
The UltraContact NXT, the most sustainable serial tire from Continental, uses mass-balance-certified materials. For example, synthetic rubber made from bio-based and bio-circular raw materials or carbon black, which is produced in part using oil from circular processes. It is manufactured at the tire plant in Lousado.
Source: https://www.continental.com/en/press/press-releases/20240709-plus-puchov/
