Continental has relocated its regional head office to Dubai, UAE, in a bid to demonstrate its commitment to the Middle East market.
Prior to 2015, the tyre manufacturer’s sales, marketing, and customer services departments for the region were based in Hanover, Germany.
The firm claims that the relocation will help drive expansion in its passenger and light truck tyre (PLT), and commercial vehicle tyre (CVT) segments across the Gulf and wider Levant.
“This move demonstrates our commitment to delivering the best possible quality and services across all countries in this important region,” commented Andreas Bertram, managing director of Continental Middle East.
“Our motto is ‘in the market for the market’, and by basing our team in the region, we are now better placed than ever to understand local requirements for the benefit of the region’s customers and drivers,” he added.
The Dubai relocation forms part of Continental’s long-term plan, ‘Vision 2025’, and brings all of its regional business unit’s functions under one roof. The tyre producer claims the move will allow it to respond more rapidly to its customers’ enquiries and requirements.
Continental’s Dr Hartmut Wöhler, head of marketing and sales PLT replacement for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Jon Ander Garcia, head of PLT and CVT replacement for Middle East and North Africa (MENA), will lead their respective divisions from the Dubai HQ. The manufacturer will continue to use its second regional office in Casablanca, Morocco, to cater to the North Africa market.
More than $2.28b has been invested in production, research, and development since 2011, as part of Continental’s Vision 2025. The firm’s global sales grew to $39.7b in 2014.
