The Business Groups Freudenberg Seals and Vibration Control Technology (Europe), Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership and Vibracoustic (Europe) belong to the Seals and Vibration Control Technology Business Area. At year-end 2003, the total workforce of the Business Area was 15,938. Sales in the year under review totaled 1,932 million Euro.

A Business Group named Burgmann Industries and belonging to the Seals and Vibration Control Technology Business Area has been established to incorporate substantial areas of business of Burgmann Dichtungswerke (in particular mechanical seals, compensators and automotive seals) acquired at the end of February 2004. Burgmann Industries has a workforce of approximately 3,300 and sales of about 300 million Euro.

A special feature of this Business Area is the cooperation with the Japanese company NOK Corporation. Freudenberg and NOK have been working together since 1960. In the USA, the two companies have pooled their activities in a joint venture called Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership. In union, these three corporations form a global alliance offering customers anywhere in the world complete solutions in the field of seals and vibration control technology, and creating a “virtual” global company. Freudenberg holds a share of
23 percent in NOK.