Continental Tire the Americas (Continental) officially opened a new sustainably-designed facility in Fort Mill, S.C. March 21 with local and state officials, key building project representatives, and corporate social responsibility partners. The 90,000-square-foot building, which sits on 33 acres in northern Lancaster County, has a 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.”
“This new structure is so much more than the typical office building,” added Etzel. “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.”
Rogers said the layout of the building was designed to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. He added the project incorporated key LEED building standards including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. The open office layout incorporates natural materials installed by local artisans that creates a unique and collaborative environment. The building utilizes LED lighting for cost savings and contains recycled content carpet tiles and low VOC paint, he said.
