--Asheville facility being converted for Red Cross shelter--
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ --
Continental AG and its U.S. divisions -- Continental Automotive Systems and
Continental Tire -- have partnered with the American Red Cross and local
relief officials in North Carolina to help welcome evacuees who are being
relocated to Charlotte and Western North Carolina. Continental is donating
$100,000 to assist evacuees and is making its idle Asheville, N.C. plant
available to house evacuees. North Carolina is home to three of Continental's
North American manufacturing operations, more than 2,200 employees, and the
headquarters of Continental Tire North America.
"Continental is pleased to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina and
support local officials here in Charlotte and Asheville in such a direct
manner," said Continental Tire CEO Dr. Allan Hippe. "It is heart-warming to
see the great outpouring of help in the midst of this tragedy and Continental
is gratified for the opportunity to do its part."
Continental's donation of $100,000 will be used to support those evacuees
being relocated to the Charlotte Coliseum, not far from Continental Tire
offices in Charlotte, or to the Asheville, N.C. area and housed at
Continental's Asheville plant.
In Asheville, activities are underway to prepare the plant, idle since
June, to serve as a temporary shelter for evacuees displaced from the Gulf
Region. Continental employees are working with the Asheville Mountain Area
Chapter of the American Red Cross to aid in this effort. The building is
expected to house approximately 200 evacuees. The American Red Cross will
manage the operations at the site.
"We wanted to find a way to help our fellow Americans directly, and the
opportunity to use our idle Asheville facility struck us as a very personal
way to get involved," said Bobby Nelon, plant manager for Continental's
operations in the Asheville area. "We are delighted that the Continental
Group and its employees in the U.S. are stepping up to the challenge to help
in such a direct fashion."
Preparations for the arrival of evacuees include the addition of showers,
bathrooms, bedding, nursery, and offices for FEMA and Red Cross. Continental
Information Technology professionals have undertaken the task of installing
computers and internet connections for use by evacuees. The facility is ready
to house residents immediately, and evacuees will be able to stay up to six
months.
With 2004 sales of approximately $15 billion (US), Continental AG is a
major supplier of brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics,
tires and technical rubber products. In the United States Continental has
more than 10,000 employees in ten locations.
SOURCE Continental Automotive Systems
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Related links:
http://www.conti-online.com
http://www.contitevesna.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/437525.html
CONTACT:
Jim Gill, M.S., APR of Continental Automotive
Systems, +1-248-393-5210, +1-248-882-6309 (cell), or
jim.gill@usa.contiteves.com
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