Effective  December 31, 2019, Freudenberg, the global technology group acquired 100% of Filc shares. The purchase agreement was signed in November. The relevant Austrian antitrust authorities approved the acquisition at the end of December. Filc produces needlepunch nonwoven textiles and laminated materials primarily for the automotive and construction industries. The company has roughly 360 employees at three sites in Slovenia and a sales office in Dayton, OH. Filc will be integrated into the Freudenberg Performance Materials Business Group and will continue trading under the name Filc for the time being.

“With the acquisition, we want to further strengthen our performance materials business, and expand our portfolio and technological footprint in Europe,” says Dr. Mohsen Sohi, Freudenberg Group CEO.

“Filc has great needlepunch know-how which we will benefit from, especially in terms of composites. Filc´s exceptionally good adhesive coating abilities will allow us to offer customer solutions in adjacent segments in the construction business,” explains Dr. Frank Heislitz, Freudenberg Performance Materials CEO. “In addition, we will expand our technical expertise in acoustics, both in construction and automotive, and provide customers a broad technology portfolio with lamination, printing, and coating,” says Heislitz.

“Becoming part of a globally active company offers an opportunity for regional and global expansion of our business. In addition, sharing our expertise in technology will be crucial to scale up our growth,” adds Anže Manfreda, CEO of Filc. The company was founded in 1937 and has been in the nonwovens business since 1963. Freudenberg has a long-standing global footprint and the broadest technology platform in the nonwovens industry and is thus an ideal partner for Filc.

As a privately-owned company, Filc has very similar values and guiding principles to Freudenberg. Both companies have a strong focus on customers and innovation, as well as on people for finding the right solutions.