Continental invests 10 million in innovation center in Famalicão

A continental tyre manufacturer will invest more than 10 million euros in a technology competence center in Lousado, Vila Nova de Famalicão, which should be ready in early 2028, was announced today.

According to Pedro Carreira, the centre will have the capacity to host about 500 workers.

The building’s first “occupiers” will be the “200 and many” collaborators who work in the various areas of technology at Continental in Lousado and who are currently scattered across several spaces.

Subsequently, and as well as the market needs and talents available in the region, the number should go up to half a thousand.

“ Innovation already exists, we are doing it, we will continue to do it, but the fact that synergies are all placed in the same place makes the potentiating effect much greater. Having them all within the same space, all discussing together, will be a very strong first step for the development of new ideas and concepts”, said Pedro Carreira.

He added that, although Continental is mainly known in Portugal for the production of tyres, the company’s activity “goes far beyond that”.

“ Innovation and new technologies are part of our DNA [...]. We want to create a modern and inspiring workplace that promotes collaboration, boosts innovation and helps attract and develop highly qualified talent”, he stressed.

For the manager of Continental Solutions Center Ricardo Martins, the future competence center will “deliberately break with the traditional concept of office”.

“ A modern, collaborative and innovative work environment, where people can develop their potential and contribute to projects with global impact,” he said.

The centre will focus largely on research and development and information technologies.

“ We're gonna have development labs, we're gonna have computer development labs, mechanics... It's a competence center that's being set up in the different areas that Continental needs. From manufacturing to the development of computer solutions, through solutions that will connect to cars and tires ", said Ricardo Martins.

In the same sense, Continental Research and Development Officer Edwin Goudswaard highlighted the contribution that the future centre will make to fostering creativity, knowledge exchange and the development of new solutions.

“Technology and innovation play an increasingly decisive role in the competitiveness of companies,” he said.

The future competence center will have 7,600 meters of usable space, divided by three floors.

Opened in 1946 as Mabor and integrated into the Continental Group in 1990, the Lousado factory is currently one of the largest tire production units in the company worldwide.

In Lousado, the group has four companies in the tire business: Continental Solutions Center, Continental Tires Portugal, Continental Ave Textile Industry and Continental Mabor.

In total, according to the municipality of Famalicão, Continental employs more than 3,800 employees in Lousado.