German industrial giant Freudenberg is ramping up investment in China, reaffirming its long-term commitment to the market, now its third-largest globally.
by GAO Jing
At a media briefing on June 11, Freudenberg Group highlighted how China's rapid industrial transformation aligns with its global strategy. "Opportunities in China align closely with Freudenberg's strategic priorities," said Wang Jiayu, the company's China representative. The group's three long-term focus areas—mobility transition, digitalization, and sustainability—fit well with China's push for new industrialization, especially in sectors like EVs, AI, and smart manufacturing.
Founded in 1849, the family-owned company Freudenberg Group has operated in China for over a century, first entering through leather exports in 1923. Its business spans four major areas—sealing and vibration control, technical textiles and filtration, cleaning technologies and products, and specialty products—across ten business groups, all of which have invested in China. By 2024, it had over 80 locations nationwide, including 27 factories and more than 7,000 employees.
Freudenberg Group generated 11.95 billion euros in global revenue in fiscal year 2024, up 0.4%. Sales in Greater China reached 10.73 billion yuan, up 5.9% year-on-year, accounting for about 10% of global revenue. The company aims to balance its sales across Europe, the Americas and Asia, making China's contribution vital to that strategy.
In May, Freudenberg Group opened a new R&D and manufacturing site in Wuxi under its joint venture NOK-Freudenberg, with a 200 million yuan investment. The facility targets growth sectors including new energy vehicles, hydrogen, robotics, and wind energy.
Other recent local investments include expanding NVH unit Vibracoustic's air spring production in China, and new facilities by sealing subsidiaries Dichtomatik and Changchun Integral Accumulator.
