History
100 years of printing blankets – Made in Germany
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- 1871
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Continental-Caoutchouc- und Gutta-Percha Compagnie is founded in Hanover. Production of technical rubber products, rubbercoated materials and medical articles is launched. Pneumatic tires for bikes and rubber hot water bottles become classics of their kind.
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- 1911
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The ContiTech plant in Hanover-Vahrenwald: Developers create the first elastic printing blanket. Although simple, the design proves precedent-setting. A multi-layer fabric structure provides firm backing; the cover layer is slightly elastic and capable of neatly transferring the ink from the printing cylinder to paper. The basic idea underlying compressible printing blankets is born. And it has proven itself to this day.
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- 1931
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Sequences in the plants are optimized. From this point on, printing blankets are made in Hanover-Limmer. Continental acquired the plant previously with the takeover of its Hanover rival Excelsior in 1928.
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- 1946
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Challenges: Spring flooding causes major damage at the plant in Limmer. With natural rubber in short supply after the war, Continental develops a synthetic rubber alternative.
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- 1948
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- 1951
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Expansion in view: Continental takes part in the first edition of the Drupa printing trade show.
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- 1952
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- 1954
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Program expands: Blankets for metal decoration are included in range.
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- 1957
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- 1961
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Continental develops a special blowing process that enables it to manufacture compressible printing blankets and applies for a patent on this innovation.
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- 1969
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A strong brand is born. CONTI-AIR® is registered as a trademark. And the triumphal march to the top of the graphics supply industry begins.
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- 1970
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Relocation to Northeim: More room is needed for printing blanket production. The Continental Plant in Northeim can offer this.
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- 1988
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Continental refines the production process; the so-called CONTI-AIR® compressible layer appears on the scene. In conjunction with the highstrength fabric, it makes for still more uniform printing conditions and reproducible results at all times.
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- 1996
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Introduction of calender technology. For the first time, printing blankets can be produced with double width.
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- 1999
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Eyes fi xed on the future: ContiTech applies for a patent on metal back blankets.
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- 1999
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More service for customers: In the new format center, printing blankets are cut and barred to customers' requirement.
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- 2001
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Asia is booming: ContiTech Printing Blanket Shanghai is founded.
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- 2003
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Practice instead of theory: For the first time, printing blankets are tested on a dedicated test rig.
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- 2004
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Market introduction of the HC line: The new, highly compressible (HC) layer offers greater resistance to jamming.
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- 2005
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ContiTech buys PHOENIX Xtra PRINT GmbH in Hamburg- Harburg. ContiTech Elastomer Coatings thus becomes one of the world's biggest printing blanket manufacturers.
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- 2010
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Boost for the environment: ContiTech Elastomer Coatings becomes world's first manufacturer to market climate-neutral printing blankets.
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- 2010
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Enhanced customer proximity: The service center in Shanghai is now twice as large; a new location opens in Singapore.
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