299,990 Ideas to Improve Economic Efficiency

HANOVER, GERMANY – August 6, 2009: Last year, Continental’s employees came up with roughly 299,900 ideas – or more than 1,000 ideas each working day – to improve the efficiency and economy in their company. The result was a net savings of €83 million. “The remarkable outcome for 2008 shows just how much potential there is in an effective Idea Management scheme, and how important it is to foster the creativity and innovative power of the employees. This holds true especially – but not only – in economically difficult times," says Continental Executive Board member for HR, Heinz-Gerhard Wente.

Idea management has been promoted actively at Continental since 1930. Today, it is referred to as CIM – Continental Idea Management. In the scope of this corporate program, awards are given each year – throughout Germany and worldwide. The locations with the highest number of participation points on the whole, the highest number of ideas implemented per employee, and the highest calculated net savings per employee are the winners. “CIM motivates our colleagues to take a proactive approach, to seek solutions to challenges, and to submit their ideas for improvement. Ideas create the future! Even small improvements make a big impact overall,” explains Gerhard Schadt, team spokesman for CIM coordination.

In Germany, the calculated savings achieved by CIM in the 2008 topped the level in 2007 by €2 million. The Karben plant is the frontrunner, with a participation rate of 100 Percent, 15 implemented ideas per employees, and a net savings of €596 per employee. With a participation rate of 100 Percent, 13 implemented ideas per employees, and a net savings of €425 per employee, the Alzenau plant holds second place in Germany.

In the worldwide category, Icheon (South Korea) is at the top of the list. The 600 employees there had submitted 22,710 ideas. This translates to a participation rate of 100 Percent, 39 implemented ideas per employee and a net savings of €11,917 per employee. At second place, the plant in Rubí (Spain), with a participation rate of 100 Percent, implemented 28 ideas per employee, achieving a net savings of €8,076 per employee in 2008.

With sales exceeding €24 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in networked automobile communication. The corporation currently employs approximately 130,000 at nearly 190 locations in 35 countries.