• The Continental plant network comprising 28 electronics production sites all over the world becomes the first network to receive certification
• Kaizen Institute certifies companies that strive to continuously improve their management and organization
• Workplace safety and ergonomics, productivity, efficiency and employee integration are among the aspects that come under the spotlight
• "5S Best in Class" certification is awarded to companies that achieve a degree of fulfillment of at least 95 percent

Regensburg, January 13, 2017. Continental operates 28 production sites worldwide for electronic automotive components, employing more than 35,000 people. This network of Continental electronics plants has now received "5S Best in Class" certification from Kaizen Institute, making it the first global plant network – as opposed to a single site – to receive this certification from the Institute.

"We are very proud that Kaizen Institute has confirmed that the entire network of 28 Continental electronics plants is among the best in our industry," said Dr. Hans-Jürgen Braun, head of Central Electronic Plants at Continental, at the certificate award ceremony on January 12 in Regensburg.

"For the past three decades, we have been helping companies to pursue their business objectives with excellence, over the long term, and with the participation of employees at all levels," added Masaaki Imai, founder of Kaizen Institute. "We are delighted to award '5S Best in Class' certification to this network of Continental Central Electronic Plants in recognition of their successful implementation of these principles."

Kaizen Institute awards "5S Best in Class" certification to companies that display the very highest standards and discipline in the management and organization of their work processes and, in doing so, fulfill the requirements of "kaizen" – or continuous improvement.

The abbreviation "5S" stands for the five steps that lead to improvements: First, creating functional, safe and ergonomic workplaces that contain only the items and resources required for immediate use. Second, increasing productivity, efficiency, quality, process reliability, order and cleanliness by ensuring that all the items and resources necessary for work are immediately to hand and fully functional. Third, reducing inventories, errors, costs and throughput and processing times by upholding the principles of the previous two steps. Fourth, integrating all employees to increase identification with the workplace and to ensure sustainability through standards. And fifth, increasing customer satisfaction by ensuring that all steps are implemented in day-to-day operations and continuously improved.

The audit conducted by Kaizen Institute examines all of these aspects in terms of how they are implemented in companies on a day-to-day basis. This "5S Best in Class" certification awarded to Continental by Kaizen Institute confirms that the audited production sites achieved a degree of fulfilment of at least 95 percent in all aspects under analysis.

The Japanese term "KAIZEN" – which is made up of "kai", meaning "change", and "zen", meaning "for the better" – describes the continuous improvement of activities, procedures, processes and products within a company by all of its employees. Kaizen Institute was founded in 1985 and employs more than 400 KAIZEN™ experts, who work for various industries in more than 60 countries all over the world.

Continental develops intelligent technologies for transporting people and their goods. As a reliable partner, the international automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner provides sustainable, safe, comfortable, individual, and affordable solutions. In 2016, the corporation generated preliminary sales of around €40.5 billion with its five divisions, Chassis & Safety, Interior, Powertrain, Tire, and ContiTech. Continental currently employs more than 220,000 people in 55 countries.

Information management in and beyond the vehicle is at the very heart of the Interior division. The product portfolio for different types of vehicles includes: instrument clusters, multifunctional and head-up displays, control units, access control and tire-information systems, radios, infotainment systems, input devices, control panels, climate control units, software, cockpits as well as services and solutions for telematics and Intelligent Transportation Systems. The Interior division employs more than 40,000 people worldwide and generated sales of approximately €8.2 billion in 2015.

Press contact

Sebastian Fillenberg
Continental
External Communications
Interior Division
Sodener Straße 9
65824 Schwalbach am Taunus, Germany
Phone: +49 6196 87-3709
sebastian.fillenberg@continentalcorporation.com

This press release is available in the following languages: English, German

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