SUN PRAIRIE, Wis.—Continental A.G.'s ContiTech North America's automotive hose plant in Sun Prairie is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The 200,000-sq.-ft. plant, situated on 17 acres of land about 15 miles northeast of Madison, was purchased by Continental in 1968. In September of that year, it began manufacturing hydraulic brake hose, and since then has played a key role in helping to position Continental for growth in markets throughout North America, according to Jim Hill, ContiTech CEO for the North America region

"The Sun Prairie plant and its employees and retirees—in a storied history that spans 50 years—have been valued contributors to what today is a well-respected and technologically superior global organization," Hill said in a statement.

Since operations began 50 years ago, the Sun Prairie plant has produced 3.7 billion feet of hose—enough, Continental notes, to wrap around the globe 28 times.

Today, the plant's 224 employees produce automotive air conditioning hose and transmission oil coolant hose for the original equipment market, serving automotive brands worldwide.

"The employees in our plant are the lifeline for our hose products," Plant Manager Bill Chmelka said in a statement. "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."

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