Continental automotive hose plant in Wisconsin celebrates 50th anniversary
Continental’s Sun Prairie, Wis., plant, its premier North American manufacturing facility for original equipment automotive hose, celebrated its 50th anniversary recently.
Purchased in 1968, the 200,000 sq. ft. (18,600 meters) facility rests on a 17-acre plot of land about 15 miles northeast of Madison, Wis., the state capital. The plant produced its first hydraulic brake hose in September of 1968. With a total employment of 224, Sun Prairie primarily produces automotive air conditioning hose and transmission oil coolant hose for the original equipment market and many worldwide brands.
“The employees in our plant are the lifeline for our hose products,” said Bill Chmelka, plant manager. “There is a long history of cooperation with the union and staff, and this relationship has been a valuable asset to us over the past five decades.”
Since 1968, the plant has manufactured more than 3.7 billion feet (1.1 billion meters), enough to wrap 28 times around the world.