Freudenberg Acquires Capol GmbH

WEINHEIM, Germany, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Freudenberg Group is acquiring the shares of Capol GmbH, Elmshorn, from financial investor Riverside with immediate effect. This acquisition lays the foundations for Capol to become a division of the Freudenberg Chemical Specialities (FCS) Business Group. Capol is a major supplier of glazes and release agents for the confectionery industry. The company was established in 1975 and has a workforce of 57 at three locations in Germany, Great Britain and the USA; Capol markets its products in about 50 countries throughout the world.

"The acquisition of Capol is a further milestone in our strategy of strengthening and expanding the chemical specialities business area in the long term," Dr. Mohsen Sohi, Speaker of the Board of Management of the Freudenberg Group, emphasizes. "The food industry is a key growth market."

"For Capol, being part of the Freudenberg Group will give us an opportunity to develop our business in the long term, to make our activities more international and to access new markets and market segments," Dr. Matthias Seemann, Managing Director of Capol GmbH, explains. The company is a successful supplier in the market for confectionery industry additives. With its portfolio of release agents, glazes and sealing agents, Capol ensures that confectionery products do not stick or absorb moisture and have an attractive surface; special coatings protect them from drying out. This makes confectionery more attractive and durable. In addition, Capol products help in optimizing production processes.

"Additives for the food industry are an attractive market segment in the long term. Capol fits very well with Freudenberg Chemical Specialities. There are considerable similarities between our business models," says Hanno D. Wentzler, CEO of FCS. "This segment is subject to similar success factors and market mechanisms as our existing divisions. Finally, it makes sense for us to enter this market in terms of the diversification of risks."

About the Freudenberg Group 
Freudenberg is a family company offering its customers technically challenging product solutions and services. The Freudenberg Group is first and foremost a supplier specializing in seals and vibration control technology, filtration, nonwovens, surface treatment products, lubricants and release agents, as well as medical technology and mechatronic products. And especially for mid-size companies, Freudenberg develops software solutions and IT services. The end-user can find modern Freudenberg household products in the shops under the brand names of vileda®, O-Cedar®, Wettex®, Gala® and SWASH®. The Freudenberg Group employed 37,453 people in 57 countries and generated sales of more than €6.3 billion in 2012. More about Freudenberg: www.freudenberg.de.

About Freudenberg Chemical Specialities
Freudenberg Chemical Specialities, Munich, was founded in 2004 as a new Business Group within the Freudenberg Group. The company has a lean, market-oriented organization with Management Board and Corporate Functions. Its objective is to promote innovation potentials in its field of activities and to expand world-wide market leadership in special lubricants and release agents. The Business Group already includes four largely independent divisions which are active in more than 50 countries: Kluber Lubrication, Chem-Trend, OKS and SurTec.

About Capol 
Capol GmbH was founded in 1975. Since then the company has developed and produced glazes, release agents and sealing agents for the confectionery industry. The products are marketed under the brand names of CAPOL^®, CAPOLEX^® and FIX GUM^®. Innovative product developments are implemented using state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. The company is active in more than 50 countries through subsidiaries, agents and distributors and has a workforce of 57 people.

SOURCE Freudenberg Group