Freudenberg Building Systems

There is always a sense of expectation and excitement in the run-up to a major event. In the case of Freudenberg Building Systems, the event in question was the launch of the new collection of nora® rubber floorcoverings. In cooperation with Pentagram, the prestigious London-based design agency, the company developed a unique color strategy to streamline the range without curbing the creative potential for architects. Throughout almost the whole of 2003, working groups and workshops devoted their attention to the new range catering for customer tastes on different markets around the world.

For Freudenberg Building Systems, developments on most relevant markets in 2003 were negative. In Germany and some other European countries, activity in the construction industry declined by as much as 10 percent. The Shoe Components Division, which primarily produces orthopedic technology products, struggled with the effects of health reform measures in Germany. Here, too, the market shrank. Freudenberg Building Systems could not entirely escape the general downward trend: even though some markets continued to grow, sales were approximately 2 percent lower than the previous year. Adjusted for exchange rate effects, there was a rise of the same order, and the relative position on key markets was improved or preserved.