Illustrating its commitment to the Latin American market, Freudenberg (Weinheim / Germany; www.freudenberg.com/en) in February announced investments in nonwoven and seal production in Brazil, to go towards its sites in Jacareí and Diadema. The funds are part of the EUR 13.2m budget planned for the region. The family-owned company said it has already begun implementing the measures, which it plans to complete in the coming weeks.

In Jacareí, the group’s Nonwovens business unit is about to start-up a new plant catering to the technical products and hygiene market segments. Commenting on the facility, Juan Carlos Borchardt, Freudenberg’s regional representative for Latin America, said, “Our existing product portfolio will be expanded. We will be able to manufacture quite special solutions – such as printed or especially lightweight, cotton-like nonwovens.” The investment will allow the group’s Nonwovens business to post further growth in niche markets of the hygiene market segment, the company said.

In addition, Freudenberg is also commissioning a new high-performance thermoplastic components line at its Freudenberg NOK automotive joint venture in Diadema. By installing six new machines at the site – which it operates together with Japanese partner Nippon Oil Seal Industry (NOK, Tokyo / Japan; www.nok.co.jp) – the company plans to double the sales of the Brazilian business unit. The capacity upgrade is set against the backdrop of a 10% increase in vehicle production in Brazil in 2013 – making the country the world’s fourth largest automotive market. Over the past few weeks, a number of automotive producers have touted plans to build new assembly lines in the region, and Freudenberg said it hopes the new line will cater to their demands.

The German group employs more than 1,400 workers across eight sites in Brazil. Aside from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, its local business units include Freudenberg Chemical Specialities, Freudenberg Nonwovens, Freudenberg Filtration Technologies as well as two joint ventures: EagleBurgmann and TrelleborgVibracoustic.