Conti to buy control of air conditioning hose firm

HANOVER, Germany (Jan. 12)—In order to increase its business in vehicle air conditioning systems, Continental A.G. is buying majority control of a German company specializing in hose assemblies for this purpose. Continental, through its ContiTech engineered products division, will buy 51 percent share of Kuhner GmbH & Cie., an Oppenweiler, Germany-based subsidiary of Behr GmbH & Co., a globally active producer of automotive heating and cooling components and systems. Terms of the deal, which includes a development and production cooperation agreement between Behr and ContiTech, are not being released. ContiTech´s business in this area will more than double with Kuhner included, to about $190 million annually, a spokesman said.