The technology company Freudenberg Group is underscoring its commitment to South America, by investing in nonwoven and seal production in Brazil. Both investments are part of a 40 million Brazilian Reais budget that Freudenberg had earmarked for the region in 2013 for innovations, capacity expansion and general process optimisation.

The new technology and production plants will allow strengthening the sites at Jacareí and Diadema in the Federal State of São Paulo for the future. “Brazil is one of the Freudenberg Group’s strategic growth markets where we would like to gain greater market share,” commented Dr Mohsen Sohi, Speaker of the Freudenberg Group Board of Management.

Opening opportunities

The Freudenberg Nonwovens Business Group will be commissioning a new manufacturing plant for the technical products and hygiene market segments. This underscores the significance of the South American region. “Thanks to the close cooperation with experts in Weinheim, we will be able to manufacture even better specialist hygiene products in the future using tried and tested nonwovens’ technology. That will strengthen our competitiveness as a globally-active group,” said Juan Carlos Borchardt, Freudenberg’s Regional Representative for South America.

The move paves the way for the nonwovens business area to harness further opportunities to grow profitably in niche markets in the hygiene market segment. “Sales will rise significantly with the nonwovens manufactured in the new plant,” said Borchardt. “Our existing product portfolio will be expanded. We will be able to manufacture quite special solutions – such as printed or especially light, cotton-like nonwovens.”

Automotive market

The Freudenberg Group is also expanding its commitment to the automotive industry and commissioning a new production line for thermoplastic high-performance components in Diadema together with its Japanese Partner NOK (Nippon Oil Seal Industry).

Following the USA, China and Japan, Brazil is the largest automotive market in the world. Experts expect an increase in this year’s vehicle production of twelve percent to 3.8 million manufactured vehicles.

In the last few weeks, several automotive manufacturers have announced their intention to build new assembly plants in the region. To be able to meet the growing demand for top technology, the Freudenberg Group is reacting with its new production line.

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