Continental, the global automotive supplier, tyre maker and industry partner, plans to purchase the outstanding shares in Emitec Gesellschaft für Emissionstechnologie mbH.

Emitec, to date a 50-50 JV co-owned by Continental and GKN plc, will be acquired by Continental and integrated into its Powertrain Division. With the planned acquisition of Emitec, Continental will emerge as a supplier of exhaust aftertreatment systems.

Based in Lohmar, near Bonn, Emitec is a leading supplier of emissions technologies and was founded in 1986. Its product portfolio includes metal catalytic converters, particle filter components, and dosing modules for selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The company has, since inception, produced more than 170 million of these components. Emitec has a workforce of approximately 900 employees at locations in Europe, US, and Asia (including India).

"The intended integration of Emitec into the Continental Corporation is a strategically significant step. We will now be able to supply those of our customers requiring all-in-one solutions in the key growth market of exhaust aftertreatment. Above and beyond this, the acquisition will enable us to realise synergies between the Powertrain Division and Emitec, touching on everything from development and production through to purchasing," said José Avila, member of the Continental Executive Board and President of the Powertrain Division.

"Emitec has been a great investment for GKN. It is a good business that will now benefit from full connection with Continental’s emissions technologies,” said Nigel Stein, chief executive of GKN plc.

Continental has a broad product portfolio for exhaust aftertreatment involving various business areas. In the case of SCR solutions, for example, the different Business Units in the Powertrain Division develop and produce the injection system – including sensors, injectors, control devices and software – while the ContiTech Division contributes the heatable hose lines and Emitec the dosing module. The envisaged Emitec acquisition will yield synergy potential in conjunction with these components. While Emitec shares responsibility for metal substrates for catalytic converters, metal diesel particulate filters, and SCR dosing modules, Continental Powertrain will offer emissions reduction technologies as complete systems to the customers in the future – from configuring on through to its integration, use and calibration.

One of the globally leading suppliers for metal catalytic converters and particle filter components

Emitec develops and produces the SCR dosing module at its plant in Faulquemont, France, which went into operation in 2012. The company's other production locations are in Lohmar and Eisenach in Germany, Fountain Inn, South Carolina, in the US, and Pune in India.

Other development and testing centres are in Germany and Denmark. Emitec’s customer roster includes all big-name car, truck and motorcycle manufacturers. In the off-road-sector, it supplies producers of tractors, agricultural implements and construction machines.