ContiTech Press Releases

Hanover, May 2010Decisive role in development of drive belts • Initiated many an innovation in sector • Special anniversary seal

ContiTech AG‘s drive belt specialist, the ContiTech Power Transmission Group, can look back on 111 years of production know-how. “From the very beginning we have had a major hand in the evolution of drive belts to complex high-tech products,” recaps Konrad Müller, general manager of the ContiTech Power Transmission Group. “Our innovations address today's burning challenges.” A seal designed specifically for this anniversary year draws the attention of the general public to our long years of experience.

ContiTech looks back on 111 years of production know-how. A seal draws attention to the company’s long years of experience.

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How everything got started: In 1899 Continental AG, the holding company of ContiTech, registered its trademark – for drive belts, among other things. Production got off the ground with belts for industrial applications. Soon thereafter the company offered the first motorcycle V-belts, which were locked into an endless loop at the time. Just prior to the World War I, cars in the US began to switch from gas lamps to electric lights, making it necessary to find a way to transmit the power of the generator with as little loss as possible. The endless V-belt was born. A few years later the product was ready for volume production and the company saw its chance. By 1927 there were already 36 sizes for all of the most common vehicle models. Only three years later the developers applied for patents on toothed rubber V-belts.

A lock as joining component: The original motorcycle V-belts at the dawn of the 20th century were not yet endless.

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The first cam shaft drive timing belt for cars – back in 1961 – also came from ContiTech. It was made of polyurethane, with embedded steel tensile members. In 1966/67 the drive belt specialists experimented with rubber timing belts for the first time. It marked the debut of the heavy-duty CONTI SYNCHROBELT® timing belt.

Drive for environmental protection: With the CONTI-V® PIONEER, ContiTech presents the world’s first eco-friendly wrapped V-belt. It is composed mainly of renewable raw materials.

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To this day ContiTech remains a trailblazer: The company’s CONTI-V® PIONEER represents the world’s first eco-friendly V-belt for industrial applications. With this development ContiTech is helping to conserve resources. The CONTI-V® PIONEER is the first belt anywhere in the world made primarily of renewable raw materials.