How a rubber manufacturer survived hostile takeovers and a century of radical reinvention
Founded in 1871 as a rubber company, Continental AG has evolved from a tire pioneer into a global industrial giant. Through hostile takeovers, wartime moral failures, and massive corporate spin-offs, the firm has constantly reshaped itself. Today, it stands as a focused leader in tires and industrial rubber technology.
Continental began in 1871 as Continental-Caoutchouc und Gutta-Percha Compagnie, quickly establishing itself as an innovator in mobility. By 1904, it introduced the world's first grooved vehicle tire, followed by the detachable touring tire in 1905. The company's history, however, is marked by profound darkness. During the Nazi era, the firm purged its leadership of Jewish members, mandated Nazi Party membership for executives, and utilized slave labor from concentration camps like Neuengamme in its factories during the 1940s.
The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw Continental transform through aggressive international expansion and complex financial maneuvering. In 1979, it acquired Uniroyal's European operations, followed by the 1987 purchase of General Tire, which cemented its global footprint. By 2008, the company faced a hostile takeover by the Schaeffler Group after overextending its finances with the €11.4 billion acquisition of Siemens VDO. The Schaeffler family, which currently holds 46% of Continental shares, successfully installed its own leadership to steer the company's strategy.
In recent years, Continental has undergone a radical structural realignment. The company spun off its powertrain division as Vitesco Technologies in 2021 and completed the spin-off of its automotive group, Aumovio, in 2025. With Christian Kötz appointed as CEO in 2026, the company is now narrowing its focus to its core businesses: tires and the industrial rubber division, ContiTech. This transition marks the latest chapter in a long history of shedding assets to adapt to a changing global market.
Source: Continental AG
