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Freudenberg Nonwovens plans reorganization of staple fiber business at Weinheim headquarters

Systematic alignment to market segments

Weinheim, September 11, 2012. Freudenberg Nonwovens plans to restructure its staple fiber business at the Weinheim location. This is motivated by undiminished market pressure from the apparel industry to use larger quantities of lower-priced woven and knitted interlinings rather than staple fiber products. The reorganization also entails capacity adjustments.

Capacity adjustments also include the closure of production plant. Based on the information currently available, 52 associates will probably be affected. Negotiations with the Works Council to find socially compatible solutions are being initiated.

Furthermore, staple fiber business at the Weinheim site is to be systematically oriented to the market segments of apparel, filtration, medical and industrial applications, in order to respond more flexibly to market needs. Integrating production lines into these segments will allow a swifter response to customers’ wishes. Cooperation between Sales and Production will become simpler and each Division will be able to focus on its own strategy.

With this new organization, the Interlinings Division will be able to concentrate all activities on its core business and focus more intensively on new developments. Innovative products and applications such as elastic nonwovens that adapt to outer fabrics and provide optimum wearing comfort help strengthen competitiveness and generate growth.

Freudenberg Nonwovens
Freudenberg Nonwovens is the world’s largest producer of nonwovens, with 21 manufacturing and processing sites in 13 countries. The company manufactures interlinings for the apparel industry and nonwovens for the following markets: Energy, Automotive Interiors, Hygiene, Medical, Building Interiors, Geotextiles and Specialties. In 2011, the Freudenberg Nonwovens Business Group generated sales of over €660 million with a global workforce of more than 3,150. Freudenberg Nonwovens is part of the Freudenberg Group. More at www.freudenberg-nw.de

About the Freudenberg Group
The Freudenberg Group is a family company offering its customers technically challenging product solutions and services. The Group develops and manufactures seals, vibration control components, nonwovens, filters, specialty lubricants and release agents as well as mechatronic products. The end-user can find modern Freudenberg household products in the shops under the brand names of vileda®, O’Cedar®, Wettex®, Gala® and SWASH®. And especially for mid-size companies Freudenberg develops software solutions and IT services. The Freudenberg Group employed some 37,000 people in 58 countries and generated sales of more than €6 billion in 2011. For further information, please go to www.freudenberg.de.