Freudenberg Performance Materials invests in its Kaiserslautern site
Kaiserslautern, 4 September 2015. Spunlaids produced by Freudenberg Performance Materials at its Kaiserslautern site are used in the most diverse applications and markets: in carpets for automotive interiors, in carpet tiles for building interiors, in cabin air filters for vehicles or in anti-allergy bedding encasings, to name but a few. Freudenberg continuously improves its spunlaid technology at the site in Kaiserslautern. Today, the global competence center inaugurated a new pilot plant. The investment in the plant amounts to 3 million euros.
New processing technologies are developed and tested at pilot plants before they are introduced at manufacturing facilities. The newly inaugurated pilot plant takes Freudenberg Performance Materials’s current innovative project to the next development stage. “We are producing spunlaids with the patented technology developed by us, a technology with significant advantages compared to competing technologies,” says Michael Ehret, Head of Operations Regional Business Unit Europe and Site Manager in Kaiserslautern. The benefits include tailor-made products, consistent quality and higher productivity.
“With the new pilot plant, we are able to open up completely new application fields and to develop new innovative products for individual customer needs,” says Dr. Volker Röhring, Manager Process Development. The plant is operated with the existing workforce.
The spunlaid process
In the spunlaid process, polymer granulates such as polypropylene, polyester, polylactide and polyethylene are melted. The polymer melt is spun in air channels to fine, but very strong endless filaments. The filament structures are placed on a conveyor belt where they are bonded through heat and pressure to spunlaid nonwovens. Finally, the spunlaids are rolled up. They can be finished and processed for the most diverse applications.
The Kaiserslautern site
At its site in Kaiserslautern, Freudenberg Performance Materials produces, develops and markets spunlaids for the automotive, building, filter and carpet industry. The site was built in 1970. In addition to Freudenberg Performance Materials, the site houses the Business Groups Freudenberg Filtration Technologies and Freudenberg Medical. As per 31.12.2015, Freudenberg employed 630 employees in Kaiserslautern.
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