Continental UltraContact NXT Wins German Innovation Award 2024

Hanover, Germany, May 14, 2024. The jury of the German Design Council awarded the UltraContact NXT with the German Innovation Award in the category "Excellence in Business to Consumer: Transportation". With up to 65 percent renewable, recycled and ISCC PLUS mass balance certified materials, the UltraContact NXT is Continental's most sustainable production tire to date.

"We are proud that the German Design Council has recognized our efforts for sustainability and innovation in the tire industry with the German Innovation Award for the UltraContact NXT, " says Maria Hanczuch, Head of Program Management Private Mobility Tires at Continental. "We see ourselves as the most progressive tire manufacturer when it comes to sustainable innovations. The UltraContact NXT, the first mass-produced passenger car tire with such a high proportion of sustainable materials, is an important step for Continental in achieving our ambitious goals in this area."

Continental is working to drive forward innovative technologies and sustainable solutions along the entire value chain - from sourcing sustainable materials to the recycling of used tires. By 2030, the premium tire manufacturer aims to have more than 40 percent renewable and recycled materials in its tires. 

The UltraContact NXT combines a high percentage of renewable, recycled and mass balance certified materials with maximum safety and performance. The summer tire contains up to 32 percent renewable raw materials. These include resins from paper and wood industry waste and silica from rice husk ash. 

About five percent of the UltraContact NXT is made from recycled materials. These include recycled rubber from mechanically processed scrap tires and recycled steel. The tire’s carcass is made of polyester fibers that Continental obtains through its ContiRe.Tex technology from recycled PET bottles, which otherwise often end up in incinerators or landfills.

In addition, Continental uses up to 28 percent ISCC PLUS certified materials in the UltraContact NXT. The ISCC PLUS certified mass balance mechanism ensures transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain by tracking the origin and properties of raw materials, verifying compliance with sustainability criteria and certifying the resulting products. All available sizes of the UltraContact NXT achieve the EU tire label’s highest rating (“A”) for rolling resistance, wet braking and exterior noise. 

The German Design Council has been operating since 1953 as one of the world’s leading centers of expertise in communication and knowledge transfer within design, branding and innovation. It is part of the worldwide design community and has always contributed to the establishment of global exchange and networking thanks to its international offering, promotion of new talent and memberships. With events, conventions, awards, jury meetings and expert committees, the Council connects its members and numerous other international design and branding experts, fosters discourse and provides important stimulation for the global economy. More than 330 businesses are currently among its members. The German Innovation Award honors products, technologies and services that break new, innovative ground and offer solutions that stand out due to their added value for users and the environment. The German Innovation Awards honour innovative achievements that are breaking new ground and offer solutions due to their added value. These may be products as well as services and they may come from very different industries, but the focus is always on the user experience: projects that improve our lives and contribute to a better future.