ContiTech strengthens innovation capabilities in India

ContiTech is strengthening its innovation capabilities at its surface solutions site in Pune through investments in a dedicated Colour Lab and enhanced prototype development capabilities, supported by an expansion of the local R&D team. Together, these measures will accelerate product development and strengthen support for automotive customers in India.

“India is a key growth market for our business and an important pillar of our long-term development strategy. As automotive manufacturers increasingly seek localized development support, faster response times and closer technical collaboration, these enhanced local capabilities will help us better support our customers' evolving needs,” said Alexander Scholz, Head of Business India, Surface Solutions at ContiTech, adding that “This investment reinforces our ‘In India, for India’ approach and reflects our confidence in the continued growth potential of the Indian automotive industry.”

Bringing innovation closer to customers

A key element of the investment is the planned establishment of the first dedicated Surface Solutions Colour Lab in India. Equipped with advanced development and evaluation capabilities, the facility will support colour development, colour matching, appearance evaluation and customer specific material development for automotive interior applications. The facility will further strengthen local color development and material evaluation capabilities in India. While primarily serving customer projects in India, the facility will also support selected development activities across APAC and EMEA.

Together with new prototype development facilities, the investment is expected to accelerate product development and support faster evaluation and validation of customer-specific interior solutions. As one of the global market leaders in automotive interior materials, ContiTech supports vehicle manufacturers with design competence, premium-quality materials, durability and strong technical expertise. Growing demand for premium interior experiences and advanced synthetic material solutions continues to create new opportunities for innovation across the automotive industry.

Burak Üzel, Head of Design, Surface Solutions, expressed: “Automotive interiors have become a key differentiator for vehicle brands. Customers increasingly expect premium, comfortable and individualized interior experiences, while OEMs seek innovative and sustainable material solutions. This investment will strengthen our ability to develop and validate colour concepts locally, enabling closer collaboration with customers and supporting the next generation of interior design and material solutions for the Indian market.”

In addition to the Colour Lab, ContiTech plans to expand its local R&D organization through four new positions. The expanded team will deepen technical expertise and support customer development programs across the region. As part of this next phase of growth, Alok Pandey has recently been appointed Head of Plant Management Pune and will lead the continued development of the site while supporting the expansion of local innovation, operational excellence and customer-focused capabilities.

“The expertise and dedication of our local teams are key to our success. With the planned expansion of our R&D organization, enhanced technical capabilities and strong local leadership, Pune will continue to grow as an important contributor to our global innovation network. I am confident that the team's expertise and commitment will support our future growth and create additional value for customers.” said Jan-Philipp Behrndt, Head of Operations Automotive Plants, Surface Solutions.