The Continental tire plant in Sarreguemines, France, recently received the globally recognized ISCC PLUS certification. This sustainability certification confirms that Continental uses renewable and recycled raw materials with full traceability. “ISCC PLUS certification” highlights the company’s commitment to transparency and sustainable sourcing practices.
This milestone supports Continental’s goal to include over 40 percent renewable and recycled materials in its tire products by 2030. Sarreguemines joins Continental’s ISCC PLUS-certified facilities in Portugal, China, Slovakia and Germany.
Mass Balance Approach Enables More Sustainable Materials
The ISCC PLUS certification confirms that Continental complies with documented procedures for tracking sustainable raw materials. The certification relies on a mass balance approach, which blends fossil, renewable and recycled feedstocks in current processes. It tracks the proportions of each along the value chain and allows allocation at any point.
This method helps Continental gradually increase the percentage of sustainable materials in production. Accurate reporting ensures a verifiable path toward a more environmentally friendly product portfolio.
“Step by step, we are working to ensure that all of our tire plants worldwide have the internationally recognized ISCC PLUS certification,” says Jorge Almeida, head of Sustainability for Continental Tires. “The certification of our tire plant in Sarreguemines underscores our strong commitment to more transparency along the entire supply chain, while enabling the introduction of new and more sustainable materials.”
Recognizing the Sarreguemines Plant’s Sustainability Progress
“Receiving the ISCC PLUS certification is a strong recognition of our team’s commitment here in Sarreguemines,” says Didier Fuchs, head of the Continental tire plant in Sarreguemines. “We are continuously integrating more sustainable solutions into our production processes. Together, we are shaping a more resource-efficient and responsible future.”
Established in 1964, the Sarreguemines plant employs 1,300 people and spans 323,000 square meters. It produces up to 8.5 million tires annually for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Since its opening, the facility has produced over 330 million tires.
In 2024, the plant implemented ContiRe.Tex technology, which uses PET bottles that would otherwise not be recycled. This polyester yarn, made without chemical processing steps, holds up under tire stress conditions.
Global Certification Drives Climate-Friendly Supply Chains
The ISCC PLUS certification supports traceable and sustainable supply chains. Established in 2010, ISCC promotes deforestation-free, climate-conscious sourcing through a multi-stakeholder approach. It certifies sustainable agricultural biomass, biogenic waste and recycled carbon-based materials.
Continental said it now uses mass balance-certified synthetic rubber and carbon black in its tire production. These include bio-based and circular-process raw materials. The use of ISCC PLUS-certified materials reinforces Continental’s efforts to mitigate climate change and increase sustainability across all operations.
