The Continental company was founded in 1871 in Germany under the name "Continental–Caoutchouc & Gutta-Percha-Compagnie". Step by step, the company expanded with the acquisition of the European operations of the American firm Uniroyal in 1979, the takeover of Semperit in 1985, and General Tire in 1987... Today, nearly one in three cars in Europe is delivered with Continental tires. Great importance is placed on the Research and Development department, which notably led to innovations such as ContiPressureCheck (an electronic tire pressure monitoring system) and the creation of a highly efficient tire recycling plant (ContiLifeCycle), which received the "Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence." Continental is thus widely recognized for its high-quality products, including its ContiSportContact range and its ContiWinterContact winter range.