With up to 65% renewable, recycled, and ISCC PLUS mass-balance certified materials, the UltraContact NXT is Continental‘s most sustainable production tyre to date.
By 2030, Continental Aims to Have More than 40% Renewable and Recycled Materials in Its Tyres
The German Design Council awarded the Continental UltraContact NXT the German Innovation Awards in the category “Excellence in Business to Consumer: Transportation”. With up to 65% renewable, recycled, and ISCC PLUS mass-balance certified materials, the UltraContact NXT is Continental’s most sustainable production tyre to date.
“We are proud that the German Design Council has recognized our efforts for sustainability and innovation in the tyre industry with the German Innovation Award for the UltraContact NXT,” said Maria Hanczuch, Director of Tire Program Management at Continental Private Mobility.
“We consider ourselves the most progressive tyre manufacturer when it comes to sustainable innovations. The UltraContact NXT, the first mass-produced passenger car tyre with such a high proportion of sustainable materials, is an important step for Continental in achieving our ambitious goals in this area,” Hanczuch added.
Continental is working to drive innovative technologies and sustainable solutions along the entire value chain, from the sourcing of sustainable materials to the recycling of used tyres. By 2030, the tyre manufacturer aims to have more than 40% renewable and recycled materials in its tyres.
Focused on sustainability, safety, and maximum performance, the UltraContact NXT combines a high percentage of renewable, recycled, and mass-balance certified materials with maximum safety and performance. The summer tyre contains up to 32% renewable raw materials. These include resins from paper and wood industry waste and silica from rice husk ash.
About 5% of the UltraContact NXT is made from recycled materials. These include recycled rubber from mechanically processed waste tyres and recycled steel. The tyre casing is made of polyester fibres 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% ISCC PLUS certified materials in the UltraContact NXT. 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 earn the highest rating (“A”) from the EU tyre label for rolling resistance, wet braking, and external noise.
The German Design Council has been operating since 1953 as one of the world’s leading centres of expertise in communication and knowledge transfer in the field of design, brands, and innovation. It is part of the global design community and has always contributed to the establishment of global exchanges and networks thanks to its international offering, the promotion of new talents, and affiliations.
Through events, conventions, awards, jury meetings, and think tanks, the Council connects its members and many other international design and branding experts, encourages discourse and provides an important stimulus to the global economy. Currently, it has more than 330 companies among its members.
The German Innovation Award recognizes products, technologies, and services that open new innovative paths and offer solutions that stand out for their added value for users and the environment. The German Innovation Awards recognize innovative achievements that break new ground and offer value-added solutions. They can be both products and services, and they can come from very different sectors, but the focus is always on the user experience: projects that improve our lives and contribute to a better future.
