The Freudenberg Group

On December 31, 2006, the Freudenberg Group employed 33,526 associates, 141 more than at the end of the previous year. Personnel expenses rose by 0.7 percent to 1,534.9 million euros (2005: 1,524.1 million euros). Of these personnel expenses, social security contributions and costs of pensions and assistance amounted to 321.0 million euros, representing an increase of 12.9 million euros on the previous year.

Personnel developments in the regions where Freudenberg is active varied. In Germany, the Freudenberg payroll at year-end was 140 lower than the previous year. With a headcount of 11,764, Germany nevertheless remained the county with by far the largest Freudenberg workforce. In the European Union (excluding Germany), the payroll increased by 229 to 9,133, and there was a further rise of 137 in "Other European countries", bringing the headcount there to 606. In South/Central America, the number of employees rose by 105 to 1,402. In contrast, the headcount declined in North America by 90 to 7,515, in Africa/Australia by 62 to 353 and there was also a slight decrease in Asia. At year-end 2006, the headcount of 2,753 in this region was 38 down on the same cut-off date for the previous year.

In 2006, 169 young people began their training at Freudenberg's German companies. The spectrum ranges from a two-year commercial or technical apprenticeship to dual studies at a university of cooperative education. Freudenberg has acquired a reputation for the high standard of its training, as is confirmed by the fact that some neighboring companies located in Weinheim send their young people to Freudenberg for training.

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