Freudenberg Performance Materials

22/10/2026

Three Engineers, Multiple Sites, One Program: Reflecting on the REDP at Freudenberg Performance Materials

Bercy, Henry, and Jacob joined the program after graduating. Their rotations across our sites gave them the opportunity to work on a variety of projects.

Now, they reflect on their time in the program, sharing what they learned and which experiences had the biggest impact on them. They also discuss what they are taking into their next roles.

Read the full article to gain more insight into the REDP and hear directly from Bercy, Henry, and Jacob about their experiences.

A university degree provides the foundation, but the real learning begins when young engineers put their knowledge into practice. Hands-on technical projects and targeted training help them build the skills and confidence they need to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

21/10/2026

A safety challenge at our Chennai site became the starting point for change.

The IC1 production line faced several challenges related to its infrared heating process. The line was the site’s highest power consumer, with infrared heating accounting for 44% of its power consumption. The process also involved a higher fire risk, more frequent breakdowns and maintenance costs, higher operating costs, and a greater environmental impact.

A team of colleagues from Engineering, HSE, Production, Quality, and Purchasing came together to tackle this problem. They proposed eliminating the IR heating process and replacing it with a post-heating and calendaring unit. The goal was to reduce IC1's energy consumption by 25% while maintaining product quality and production performance.

Bringing this idea to fruition required more from the team than simply installing new equipment. They worked through different stages of implementation, including preparing and installing the equipment, conducting trials, and making adjustments. They also had to adapt the solution to the specific requirements of the existing production process to ensure the new setup could deliver the required quality and performance.

The project ran from January 2024 to February 2025 and delivered results that exceeded the original target. Compared with 2024, energy consumption was reduced by 32.66%, exceeding the initial 25% target. The project also reduced CO₂ emissions by 93 tons and eliminated the fire risk associated with the IR heating process. With the new setup, production efficiency increased and A-grade output improved, while MTBF increased and the required production space was reduced.

The new setup improved working conditions, reduced breakdowns and maintenance issues, and supported a more consistent, reliable production process. The project also created training and development opportunities and strengthened collaboration between the involved teams.

What began as an effort to address safety and efficiency challenges evolved into a cross-functional improvement project. This demonstrates the potential that emerges when individuals from diverse backgrounds collaborate, rethink existing processes, and transform ideas into practical solutions.

20/10/2026

Today’s industrial applications require more from filter media than ever before.

Understanding operating conditions, identifying the root of a problem, and selecting the appropriate material are equally important as the filtration process on its own.

In our latest interview, Adam Guo, Junior Sales Manager at Freudenberg Performance Materials, shares his perspective on changing demands in industrial filtration. With over 13 years of experience in the field, Guo discusses what makes PET Filtura® pleated filter media effective, the growing importance of total cost of ownership, and how new applications, such as lithium battery manufacturing and metal 3D printing, are shaping the market.

Read the full interview to discover Adam’s insights into technical challenges, customer needs, and the future of high-performance filter media. If you are interested in learning more about PET Filtura® pleatable filter media, feel free to contact Adam on LinkedIn.

15/10/2026

What is it really like to gain your first international work experience?

We asked three participants from the Rotational Engineering Development Program at Freudenberg Performance Materials five quick questions.

The REDP program allows newly graduated engineers to take on responsible projects while discovering new cultures and what it’s like to work at a global company. In our latest video, Bercy, Henry, and Jacob share their personal experiences and favorite projects from their time moving between our European sites.

Curious to hear their answers?
Watch the video to get a closer look at their first-hand experience with the REDP.

14/10/2026

To generate genuine value through AI, a customized strategy is essential, one that aligns with the unique needs and processes of the company.

We have now launched the AI Powerhouse at Freudenberg Performance Materials. This Freudenberg Group-wide, cross-functional initiative brings together expertise from IT, sales, business process excellence, manufacturing, communications, and other areas across the company. Through frequent collaboration among the AI Powerhouse teams of different group companies, we can identify and implement best practices on a larger scale.

The initiative builds on the group-wide motivation that AI should deliver a significant contribution to our business success. AI initiatives need to be developed directly out of business strategy, with a focus on end-to-end processes rather than isolated individual applications.

The team has kicked off its work with a clear ambition: to identify where artificial intelligence can create real value for our company.

This involves looking beyond the hype surrounding AI and asking the right important questions. How can AI help us open up new business opportunities? How can it make processes more efficient? How can it help us solve difficult problems? And how can it help us improve quality or create better solutions for our customers?

Specifically, the AI Powerhouse is responsible for identifying potential value, collecting AI ideas and use cases, prioritizing and evaluating initiatives, ensuring transparency regarding benefits, effort, and risks, guaranteeing the scalability of solutions, and sharing knowledge with other business groups.

We don't view AI as a substitute for expertise. Instead, we’re exploring what becomes possible when our experts have entirely new tools at their fingertips. This means more ideas, faster iterations, and greater possibilities.

The AI Powerhouse team is now getting to work. They started with a functional assessment of current topics, projects, and ideas related to AI. The next step is to transform ideas into applications and applications into measurable value.

We're excited to read in the comments about the processes in which AI has created genuine value for you.

13/10/2026

How can industrial filters keep up with rising requirements?

Fine dust, pressure pulses, energy consumption, and increasingly demanding production processes put pressure on filtration systems. One often underestimated factor behind all of this is the filter medium itself.

In our latest newsletter, we take a closer look at advanced Filtura® pleatable PET filter media from Freudenberg Performance Materials and the technology behind it. Filtura®Media is designed to withstand pressure pulses, maintain stable pleats, facilitate efficient cleaning, and help keep operating costs under control.

What happens when the material itself becomes part of the solution?

Read our latest newsletter to take a closer look at innovative filter media in industrial APC applications!

The rapid technological development and increasingly complex production methods experienced by industrial manufacturers create a greater need for advanced filtration solutions. Manufacturers and operators are looking for solutions that not only remove particles and dust reliably, but also combine fi

09/10/2026

Even processes running for less than an hour per month can be important factors in reducing emissions.

At our Changzhou site, an F11 Weko spray system and a R11 adhesive process generated non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) emissions, which were treated through a rooftop activated carbon system. While this helped regulate emissions, it also created another environmental burden in the form of large amounts of waste activated carbon and waste IBCs. Additionally, oil mist from the Weko spray system affected the equipment.

The onsite team identified an opportunity to tackle the issue at its root.

Led by a process engineer, shift supervisor of fleecing, production coordinator, and two maintenance engineers, the team set out to rethink the process rather than simply continuing to treat the resulting emissions. They decided to replace the Weko spray system with a Double Kiss Roller to enable more efficient application of tuft finish oil and eliminate NMHC emissions from the Weko process.

The team also removed the P8 chimney and rooftop activated carbon system while installing a smaller activated carbon solution for low-volume R11 emissions. They carried out the implementation step by step, from regulatory verification and equipment installation to HSE updates, risk assessments, and final compliance monitoring.

What changed once the new approach was in place?

The amount of hazardous waste from activated carbon decreased by 84.5%, dropping from 1.152 to 0.178 tons per year. The number of waste IBCs decreased by 23.5%, and annual NMHC emissions fell by 82.2%, from 0.045 to 0.008 tons. The more efficient application process reduced tuft finish oil usage by 25%. There was also a financial impact: the project generated €39,326 in annual savings.
At the same time, 2025 HSE monitoring confirmed full HSE compliance.

What began as an issue with emissions and hazardous waste turned into an opportunity to rethink the process itself, resulting in measurable environmental, operational, and economic benefits.

08/10/2026

What happens beneath a synthetic turf pitch is just as important as what happens on it.

A sudden downpour can quickly put a sports field to the test. While the surface may appear ready for play once the rain stops, what happens beneath the synthetic turf can make all the difference. Efficient drainage is essential to keeping sports surfaces playable, stable, and durable.

To address this issue, we at Freudenberg Performance Materials developed EnkaFlex. It combines two important functions in a single layer: efficient stormwater drainage and shock absorption.

In today’s video, Luuk van der Molen, Head of Product and Application Management at Freudenberg Performance Materials, takes us beneath the surface to explain why effective water management is crucial for synthetic turf sports fields.

Watch the full video to see what happens beneath the surface and how EnkaFlex helps keep the game going after the rain.

01/10/2026

How can properly prepare graduates for responsible roles in a global company?

In our opinion, the best way to do so is by providing them with a framework to gain practical, cross-continental experience.

Over the past months, three recent college graduates from the U.S. have been part of Freudenberg Performance Materials’ Rotational Engineering Development Program (REDP), setting a solid foundation for their professional careers.

The program gave them the opportunity to experience Freudenberg Performance Materials from different perspectives. By switching between our European sites, they worked with different teams, experienced organizational structures and different management styles, and contributed to projects. Their experiences ranged from lean improvement and waste reduction to production data, safety, and maintenance support.

Along the way, they learned that professional development involves more than technical knowledge. It also requires asking questions, challenging the status quo, and finding solutions when there is no obvious path forward. One graduate described the experience as an opportunity to gain “technical, organizational, and role exposure in a short amount of time.”

Now that they have completed the rotational program, they are taking the next step in their careers at Freudenberg Performance Materials. Each graduate has found a new role and will continue their career at a different Freudenberg Performance Materials location in the U.S.

From their first weeks as graduates to taking on their own responsibilities, the REDP gave them the opportunity to learn, contribute, build relationships, and discover where their skills could make an impact.

We are proud to have been part of their first steps into professional life and look forward to seeing them advance in their careers at Freudenberg Performance Materials.

Stay tuned for more insights into our Rotational Engineering Development Program!

30/09/2026

“The most important parts of a sports field are often the parts nobody sees.”

In our latest Expert Voice Interview, Luuk van der Molen, Head of Product & Technical Management for Enka Solutions at Freudenberg Performance Materials, explains what trends are driving change in the sports infrastructure sector.

As climate change brings more intense rainfall and growing sustainability requirements, sports fields must do far more than provide a high-quality playing surface. Reliable drainage, climate resilience, resource efficiency and long-term performance are becoming essential design priorities.

In the interview, Luuk shares how customer needs have evolved, why understanding problems is the foundation of innovation, and how Enka Solutions helps create sports fields that remain playable, durable and prepared for future challenges.

Read the full interview to discover his insights on sports infrastructure, sustainable product development and the future of sports field engineering. If you would like to learn more about Enka Solutions or discuss your next project, feel free to connect with Luuk van der Molen on LinkedIn.

As Head of Product & Technical Management for Enka Solutions at Freudenberg Performance Materials, Luuk van der Molen combines product management, application expertise and innovation to develop high-performance solutions for sports infrastructure and civil engineering. Throughout his career, Luuk h