Continental is integrating more renewable and recycled materials into its tire production. While their share averaged 26 percent in 2024, the tire manufacturer expects this figure to increase by two to three percentage points in 2025. This increase is due to the use of synthetic rubber obtained from renewable or circular oil, polyester made from recycled PET, recycled steel, and innovative fillers such as silica from rice husk ash.
In addition to introducing various sustainable materials, changes in the product mix may influence this key figure’s development. By 2030, Continental aims to increase the share of materials from renewable and recycled sources in its tire production to more than 40 percent while maintaining the same high safety and performance characteristics.
“We are systematically increasing the share of renewable and recycled materials in our raw material portfolio. In five years, we aim to surpass the 40 percent mark,” explains Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires. He adds: “To achieve a sustainable mobility, we are constantly searching for even more environmentally friendly materials. After extensive testing, we integrate them into production as quickly as possible.”
A significant driver of this transformation is the mass balance approach. Mass balance is a chain of custody option in which certified and non-certified materials are physically mixed throughout the value chain but kept separate through verifiable bookkeeping. With it, renewable and recycled raw materials are integrated into existing production processes according to internationally recognized principles.
By using the mass balance system, Continental can document and track the exact amount of recycled and renewable materials used, ensuring that the quantity of alternative feedstocks allocated to the product matches the quantity sourced at the start of the production. The mass balance approach enables Continental to efficiently manage the complexity and use of its raw material portfolio across numerous production sites in different markets, while sustainable materials are accounted for and allocated on a site-specific basis. It also allows Continental to continuously increase the share of more sustainable materials in its tires and supports suppliers in ramping up new technologies required for the sustainability transformation. Continental has had this process certified by ISCC Plus, an internationally recognized certification scheme. Mass balance-certified materials introduced include synthetic rubber as well as carbon blacks derived from bio-based, bio-circular and/or circular raw materials.
