Freudenberg Systems and Tool Engineering

Freudenberg Systems and Tool Engineering is primarily an internal service provider, building systems and tools for companies in the Freudenberg Group. The company therefore possesses know-how that does not allow unrestricted activities in the marketplace. For this reason, the Management Board of Freudenberg & Co. decided that the present (internal) key customers should participate in the company. There have therefore been several changes: the new shareholders are Freudenberg Seals and Vibration Control Technology, Freudenberg Nonwovens and Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership. Operative business of the former Dutch subsidiary PL Tooling ceased on June 30, 2003 and the Training Subdivision has been taken over by Freudenberg Service Support. These changes explain the 11.5 percent drop in the workforce.

The reorganization did not have a negative impact on sales, which rose 11.4 percent to just under 45 million Euro.

Freudenberg Systems and Tool Engineering introduced an occupational health and safety management system pursuant to OHSAS 18001 at the Laudenbach facility, adapting the entire management documentation structure and communicating the new system to associates.