(Photo provided by Business Wire)
Continental Tire the Americas officially opened a new sustainably designed facility in Lancaster County, South Carolina, on Thursday.
The state-of-the-art, 90,000 square foot building, which sits on 33 acres in northern Lancaster County, has capacity for 350 employees and is designed and built for future expansion potential.
“Another great moment for Continental and for the state of South Carolina,” said Jochen Etzel, CEO Continental Tire the Americas.
“Who would have imagined when we moved to the Palmetto State in 2009, that we would have invested over $800 million in our facilities across the state. The U.S. is a strategic growth market for Continental and particularly for our tire business. It is with the dedicated support and assistance of the Lancaster County Economic Development Corporation and the State of South Carolina Department of Commerce that this facility is built steps away from the current headquarters building.”
Involving employees, managers, and executives from the project inception allowed every aspect of the facility to be purposefully ideated: from the selection of the architect to the details of the colors and furniture. Inspired by nature and incorporating both timeless and modern design elements, the building allows natural light to flood the interior year-round.
“This new structure is so much more than the typical office building,” Etzel said. “In the past, the office was a place you had to come to — our objective for this building was to create a workplace destination that you want to come to.”
From the site layout to the building designed to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification, to the incorporation of energy-saving and efficient materials, the project was carefully planned to be an example of Continental’s sustainability ambitions.
The project incorporated key LEED building standards including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. The building utilizes LED lighting for cost savings and contains recycled content carpet tiles and low VOC paint.
On the exterior, the parking area, optimized for a decreased heat signature, includes 10 EV charging stations that may be used for electric vehicles or motorcycles. A total of 840 solar panels are located on the roof and in the parking area. These panels contribute up to 25 percent offset of the building’s total energy consumption.
The project was designed by Gresham Smith and constructed by Edifice.
Continental's tire division employs more than 56,000 people worldwide and has 20 production and 16 development sites.