Freudenberg strengthens floor mat business

WEINHEIM, Germany, Feb. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Freudenberg, the global technology company, is further expanding its car floor mat business. In Germany, the Japan Vilene Company, a Freudenberg Business Group, has signed an agreement to acquire Hanns Glass GmbH & Co. KG, Grafing, Germany. The company is a leading global automotive supplier of car floor mats with a strong European presence and a portfolio complementary to VIAM, one of Japan Vilene Company's core businesses with operations in Asia and North America. In 2016, the company generated about 31 million euros in sales and has some 260 employees. The transaction is conditional upon approval from the German Federal Cartel Office and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of this year.

"With the acquisition of the Hanns Glass Group, the VIAM Group will gain access to the European automotive market and, in the future, will be able to supply European carmakers from local production sites," says Freudenberg Group CEO, Dr. Mohsen Sohi.

The Hanns Glass Group is headquartered in Grafing, near Munich, and has production sites in Paderborn and Meuselwitz, Germany, and Cheb, Czech Republic. These sites will serve as the VIAM Group's European base.

About the Hanns Glass Group

The Hanns Glass Group, headquartered in Grafing near Munich, Germany has been in family ownership since its beginnings in the 1930s. The company works with many established carmakers and is today a leading global producer of vehicle mats and dirt-free floor mats. The Group's high-quality and innovative products along with their excellent customer service have always been a major selling point for customers throughout the world. Please see www.hanns-glass.com/en/home.html

About the VIAM Group

Established in the USA in 1984, VIAM is synonymous with high-quality car floor mats and other interior products. VIAM is widely recognized by carmakers as a top global supplier of protective floor mats, specializing in blending value, service and innovation. The Group's worldwide footprint currently includes domestic manufacturing and supply to customers in the US, Mexico, Japan, China and Thailand.

The VIAM Group is a Business Group of Japan Vilene Company

Since its establishment in 1960, the Japan Vilene Company has maintained its position as the leading domestic manufacturer of nonwoven materials under the theme of "Engineering Fabric Innovation", utilizing its raw material expertise and considerable know-how in the areas of production process, equipment technology and nonwoven converting and offering a wide range of products through its Automotive, Medical, Electrical and other Industrial sectors. The company has developed the car floor mats business worldwide. The Japan Vilene Company operates sixteen production sites globally, including two main production sites in Japan. The company totals 2,300 employees worldwide.

In very close cooperation with Freudenberg Performance Materials and Freudenberg Filtration Technologies, the Japan Vilene Company operates a network of production and sales joint venture companies throughout Asia. For more information, please see www.vilene.co.jp/en  

The Japan Vilene Company is a Business Group of the Freudenberg Group

Freudenberg is a global technology group that strengthens its customers and society long-term through forward-looking innovations. Together with its partners, customers and the world of science, the Freudenberg Group develops leading-edge technologies, and excellent products, solutions and services for more than 30 market segments and for thousands of applications: seals, vibration control components, nonwovens, filters, specialty chemicals, medical products, IT services and the most modern cleaning products.

Strength of innovation, strong customer orientation, diversity, and team spirit are the cornerstones of the Group. The 169-year-old company holds strong to its core values: a commitment to excellence, reliability and pro-active, responsible action. In 2016, the Freudenberg Group employed more than 48,000 people in almost 60 countries worldwide and generated sales of approximately €8.6 billion. For more information, please visit www.freudenberg.com.

SOURCE Freudenberg

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