What Freudenberg Performance Materials does

Freudenberg Performance Materials is a global manufacturer of technical textiles headquartered in Weinheim, Germany, operating as a wholly-owned division of the Freudenberg Group (founded 1849). The company produces nonwovens, woven and knitted fabrics, polyurethane and silicone foams, and coated technical textiles through 36 production sites across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa, serving ten vertical markets: Apparel & Footwear, Building & Construction, Energy, Household & Living, Mobility & Transport, Industrial & Manufacturing, Civil Engineering, Healthcare, Coated Technical Textiles, and Filter Media. It markets through 13 proprietary brands including Soundtex (acoustic nonwovens), Evolon (microfilament textiles), Lutradur (recycled-polymer spunbond), MehlerHeytex (coated technical textiles), comfortemp (thermal insulation padding), Enka Solutions (composite flow media), Colback, Dripstop, Vlieseline, and Filc.

Core technology centers on multiple bonding processes — chemical, mechanical, thermal, and 3D-matting — applied to nonwoven substrates, supplemented by microfilament extrusion and polyurethane/silicone foam lamination. Notable process innovations include a patent-pending two-step silicone-coated polyurethane foam process (versus a conventional seven-step approach) for wound care applications manufactured in an ISO 13485 cleanroom in Wales, and an Advanced Water Filtration Process at the Chennai, India facility achieving 500,000 liters of water savings in six months. The Tayuan Tao-Yuan, Taiwan facility is LEED Gold certified and includes a 2018-installed spunlaid line producing nonwovens from post-consumer PET. Three global development centers coordinate R&D, and the MehlerHeytex division (created in 2025 by combining MehlerTexnologies and the 2022-acquired Heytex Group assets) consolidates coated technical textile capabilities.

The company operates a direct B2B sales model with dedicated expert teams organized by product category (e.g., Head of Global Sales Cable & Electro, Junior Sales Manager Soundtex, Project Manager Global Business Development), engaging enterprise customers from initial concept through series production. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting customization to customer specifications and order volumes. Revenue derives from sales of technical textile components to manufacturers in automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, apparel, civil engineering, and industrial sectors, supported by regional sales offices, joint ventures in China and Taiwan, trade fair participation (Techtextil, JEC World, Wire, Intertextil), and digital channels including LinkedIn, YouTube, WeChat, and a website news section. The parent Freudenberg Group retains full ownership; no external shareholders, private equity, or venture capital interests are identified in the source material.

Name

Freudenberg Performance Materials

Legal name

Freudenberg Performance Materials Holding GmbH

Website

https://freudenberg-pm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Freudenberg Performance Materials is a global manufacturer of technical textiles producing nonwovens, coated fabrics, foams, and microfilament textiles for ten industries — including automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, and apparel — through 36 production sites and proprietary brands such as Soundtex, Evolon, MehlerHeytex, and Lutradur.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical Textiles

NAICS

Fabric Mills (3132), Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills (3133), Textile Furnishings Mills (3141)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Textile Products (2390)

akta.pro primary industry

Decorative & Soft Furnishings Manufacturing (Cushion Covers/Throws/Quilts) (IMAOAKAG)

Keywords

• Technical textiles manufacturing
• Nonwoven fabrics
• Industrial textile solutions
• Coated technical textiles
• Performance materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Weinheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices28 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Technical Textiles B2B Sales: Freudenberg generates revenue through direct B2B sales of high-performance technical textiles to manufacturers across diverse industries including automotive, construction, healthcare, and industrial sectors. Products are customized and tailored to specific customer requirements across various applications.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Freudenberg Performance Materials is a leading global manufacturer of innovative technical textiles, producing nonwovens, woven and knitted fabrics, foams, and coated technical textiles. Products are tailored to customer specifications and serve industries including apparel, building, energy, mobility, healthcare, civil engineering, household, industrial manufacturing, and filtration. The company operates 36 production sites worldwide and develops solutions in close partnership with customers from initial concept through series production.

Product overview

Freudenberg Performance Materials is a global leader in technical textiles operating as a diversified materials company with multiple specialized product lines. The portfolio centers on nonwoven technologies as the core manufacturing platform, supplemented by woven and knitted fabrics, foams, and various bonding processes (chemical, mechanical, thermal, 3D-matting). The company markets products through 13 distinct brands addressing specific market needs: Soundtex for acoustic nonwovens, MehlerHeytex for coated technical textiles, Lutradur for spunbond nonwovens, comfortemp for insulation padding, Evolon for microfilament textiles, Enka Solutions for composite materials, Vlieseline for interlinings, and others covering filtration, building, healthcare, and industrial applications. The product architecture combines broad technology platforms with specialized brand extensions targeting industries including apparel, automotive, construction, energy, healthcare, and civil engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MehlerHeytex: Coated technical textiles brand formed by combining MehlerTexnologies and HEYtex under one division within Freudenberg Performance Materials, offering a wide range of coated and technical textiles for demanding industrial applications.
• Colback
• comfortemp
• Dripstop
• Enka Solutions
• Evolon
• Filc
• Filtura
• Lutradur
• Soundtex
• Tacnera
• Terbond-Texbond
• Vlieseline

Products and services

• Soundtex Acoustic nonwoven made from cellulose and glass fibers for sound absorption in architectural applications. Thickness 0.2mm, weight 63 gr/m2, sound absorption coefficient αw = 0.75, NRC = 0.80. Used in airports and concert halls including Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and Calgary International Airport.
• MehlerHeytex Coated technical textiles brand combining MehlerTexnologies and HEYtex products for industrial applications including tarpaulins, architectural membranes, and protective coatings.
• Lutradur High-performance spunbond nonwoven using mono and bi-component fibers from recycled polyester and polypropylene. Used for carpet backings, intermediate layers, carrier media, and tufting applications. Features thermal bonding ensuring clean cuts without fraying.
• Evolon Microfilament textiles used for bedding, horse blankets, allergen protection encasings, and food storage bags. Features 6,700km fiber length per square meter at just 100 grams weight. Used in medical applications such as mite-proof encasings for allergy patients.
• Vlieseline Interlining and backing materials for apparel and footwear applications, providing structure, reinforcement, and shape retention.
• comfortemp Thermal insulation padding brand including comfortemp fiberball eco made from recycled PET bottles, used in outdoor apparel and sportswear by partners such as PYUA.
• Silicone Foam Dressings Medical silicone-coated polyurethane foam wound dressings enabling pain-free and atraumatic dressing changes. Produced in cleanroom environment in Wales, UK under ISO 13485. Patent-pending two-step production process (vs conventional seven-step).
• Cable Tapes High-performance tapes for power, data, and specialty cables including semi-conductive and non-conductive water-blocking tapes, binding tapes, bedding tapes, and separation tapes for medium/high voltage and submarine cable applications.
• Colback Technical nonwoven brand for various industrial applications including filtration, construction, and automotive sectors.
• Dripstop Condensation control solution for building applications preventing moisture damage in metal roofing and other structures.
• Enka Solutions Flow media and spacers for composite manufacturing optimizing resin infusion and foam injection molding processes.
• Filtura Technical nonwoven for filtration applications across industrial and consumer segments.
• Filc Nonwoven products for industrial applications, manufactured by Freudenberg Performance Materials Filc d.o.o. in Slovenia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Soundtex reduces reverberation time from 6 to 2 seconds in airport terminals
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Messe Frankfurt (Techtextil)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Freudenberg participates as exhibitor at Techtextil 2026, the leading global trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens with over 1,500 exhibitors from 49 countries. Event features innovations in sustainable nonwovens, textile recycling, and automotive applications.
• Baden-Württemberg InternationalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 March 2025Freudenberg exhibits at JEC World 2025 on joint stand P82.5 organized by Baden-Württemberg International, showcasing high-performance textile and nonwoven solutions for the composites industry.
• MehlerTexnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMerger of MehlerTexnologies quality, processing reliability, and certified solutions with Freudenberg's global resources to form MehlerHeytex division. Combines R&D capabilities, shortens development cycles, enables new material combinations, and expands global production capacities for coated technical textiles.
• Heytex GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFreudenberg acquired Heytex Group assets for approximately EUR 100 million, combining HEYtex high-performance tarpaulin products with MehlerTexnologies capabilities under the MehlerHeytex brand. Creates new global player in coated technical textiles with expanded product portfolio.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sandler Group: Sandler is a German nonwoven producer specializing in nonwovens for acoustics, filtration, hygiene, automotive, and construction—directly comparable to Freudenberg's Soundtex, Filtura, and Colback offerings.
• Ahlstrom: Ahlstrom is a Finnish-headquartered global leader in fiber-based specialty materials including nonwovens, filtration media, and technical fabrics serving industrial, healthcare, and consumer end markets—directly overlapping Freudenberg's nonwovens and filtration portfolio.
• Suominen: Suominen is a Finnish nonwovens producer focused on wiping, hygiene, and industrial applications, providing comparable spunbond and spunlace nonwoven technologies to Freudenberg's Vlieseline and Colback lines.
• TWE Group: TWE Group is a German nonwovens manufacturer producing needlepunch and other technical nonwovens for automotive, construction, filtration, and industrial applications, making it one of Freudenberg's closest European direct competitors in industrial nonwovens.
• Hollingsworth & Vose: Hollingsworth & Vose is a US manufacturer of filtration media, battery separators, and industrial nonwovens—directly comparable to Freudenberg's Filtura and filtration media business for industrial and energy applications.
• Glatfelter: Glatfelter is a US-based specialty nonwovens and engineered materials company serving filtration, hygiene, and industrial markets—directly comparable to Freudenberg's filtration and industrial nonwoven offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Berry Global (HHNF): Berry Global is a major US-based nonwovens and specialty materials manufacturer serving hygiene, industrial, and consumer end markets. After divestitures it remains a broad incumbent with significant nonwoven capacity overlapping Freudenberg's portfolio.
• Johns Manville (Berkshire Hathaway): Johns Manville produces insulation, roofing, and engineered nonwoven products for building and industrial applications—directly comparable to Freudenberg's building and construction textile portfolio including Dripstop and insulation nonwovens.
• DuPont (Water & Protection): DuPont's Water & Protection segment produces Tyvek and other engineered nonwoven materials used in construction, healthcare, and industrial protection—overlapping Freudenberg's building, healthcare, and coated technical textiles categories as a large diversified incumbent.

Others

• Low & Bonar (Freudenberg-owned): Low & Bonar was acquired by Freudenberg and merged into Freudenberg Performance Materials, making it a directly comparable but now sister-entity peer in technical textiles and nonwovens for construction and civil engineering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/FreudenbergPerformanceMaterials
• Facebookfacebook.com/freudenbergpm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freudenberg-performance-materials
• Xx.com/freudenbergpm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freudenberg Performance Materials