JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia—Continental has opened an office in Jeddah with an eye on strengthening its foothold in the Middle East.
The office, set up as part of a joint venture deal between Continental and Saudi distributor Almutlak Trade & Industries, is part of a "significant Middle East expansion" and will support growing demand for Continental products in the country.
Continental marked the Jan. 31 opening with a media roundtable in Dubai, hosted by Nikolai Setzer, head of Continental's tire division, and Jon Ander Garcia, the regional manager for Africa and the Middle East.
The German tire maker also inaugurated its first warehouse facility in the United Arab Emirates, in Jebel Ali, Dubai.
"The region has proven to be a key market for Continental since the establishment of the brand's regional representation office in 2009," Garcia noted.
Continental also plans to launch its ContiConnect digital tire monitoring platform for commercial vehicles in the Middle East this year.