Freudenberg Nonwovens, a business group within the Freudenberg Group, has announced plans to reorganize its staple fiber business at its headquarters in Weinheim, Germany. The company will reduce production capacity, citing reduced demand in the apparel industry, which has been substituting increasing amounts of lower-priced woven and knitted interlinings for traditional staple fiber nonwoven products.

As part of the restructuring, Freudenberg Nonwovens will close a production plant, likely impacting 52 associates. In addition, the company will introduce more flexibility and faster response within the Weinheim staple fiber business by systematically realigning it with the apparel, filtration, medical and industrial market segments, including simplifying cooperation between sales and production and allowing each division to pursue its own strategy.

Going forward, the company's Interlinings Division will focus on its core business and new developments, including new products and applications such as elastic nonwovens for outer fabric applications.

Established in 1936 in Weinheim, Freudenberg Nonwovens today operates 21 manufacturing and processing facilities in 13 countries and employs more than 3,150 associates. The company's 2011 sales totaled more than 660 million euros.

September 11, 2012