For 100 years, from 1899 to 1999, the former "Excelsior" and later Conti Limmer produced a wide variety of hard and soft rubber products. The listed old buildings on the former Conti site in Limmer have to remain standing for the time being. Contractor Günter Papenburg wanted the historic buildings on the verge of the Wasserstadt project - but the city of Hanover refused permission. A misunderstanding saved the Limmer plant from bombing in World War II. Until the end of the war, the Allies were of the opinion that it was a toy factory. They simply overlooked the production of war goods. Among other things, gas masks were manufactured here and the factory had more employees than ever before - 4,100. Since the company headquarters were bombed out during the war, the fortunes of Continental AG were managed from Limmer for eight years, until 1953 the administration in the newly built Conti-Hochhaus am Königswort moved her place.