Continental's high-on-sustainability UltraContact NCT tyre wins German Innovation Award 2024

The jury of the German Design Council has awarded Continental’s 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 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, 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 tyre with such a high proportion of sustainable materials, is an important step for Continental in achieving our ambitious goals in this area."

Eco-friendly tyre
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 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 tyre’s carcass 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 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 tyre label’s highest rating (“A”) for rolling resistance, wet braking and exterior noise. 

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 tyres. By 2030, the premium tyre manufacturer aims to have more than 40 percent renewable and recycled materials in its tyres. 

The German Design Council has been operating since 1953 as one of the world’s leading centres of expertise in communication and knowledge transfer within design, branding and innovation. More than 330 businesses are currently among its members. The German Innovation Award honours 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.