Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, a leading supplier of high-performance materials and advanced products for the automotive sector and general industry, has inaugurated its new state-of-the-art production facility in Parets del Vallès (Barcelona). The fully carbon-neutral plant, dedicated to manufacturing automotive components, is boosting its production capacity by 15 percent. Freudenberg has invested more than 11 million euros in the new production facility.
Credit: FST_Parets-Opening.jpg / © Freudenberg Sealing Technologies 2024
The new state-of-the-art production facility in Parets del Vallès near Barcelona has replaced its existing plant at the same location with a redesign that prioritizes sustainability and climate protection. The systems in the new building are powered entirely by green electricity, 25 percent of the electricity comes directly from photovoltaics at the roof of the plant. Furthermore, it employs an energy-efficient and eco-conscious cleaning technique for exhaust air from coating processes through microorganisms. These metabolize the hydrocarbons in the solvents into water and CO2. This eliminates the need for an additional heating medium – no gas has to be burned to purify the exhaust air. As a result, the new production facility is one of the most modern and sustainable Freudenberg Sealing Technologies sites.
“This is a highly innovative plant that is carbon-neutral, thus aligning with both present and future automotive industry standards,” said Carlos Arnau Calduc, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Vice President and responsible for the Site. The official opening was attended, among others, by the President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès i Garcia; the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Roger Torrent; and representatives of the Freudenberg Group from Germany, including Peter Johnson, Senior Vice President at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies.
Increased production capacity for the automotive industry
The new plant in Parets del Vallès, home to 171 employees and spanning 6,800 square meters, is increasing the annual production of shock absorbers and steering components by 15 percent. “Investing in the new plant in Parets del Vallès is the best example of Freudenberg’s commitment to both the automotive industry and to Spain as a business hub,” emphasized Arnau Calduc.
The Parets del Vallès site was established in 1973. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has been producing damper seals here from the very beginning. Around 80 percent of the production volume remains in Europe and goes primarily to Spain and Poland, another part is shipped to Germany. The remaining part goes to America and Asia.
The goal of carbon neutrality by 2045
The new production facility brings Freudenberg Sealing Technologies another step closer to its ambitious climate targets: The company aims to reduce relative CO2 emissions by 30 percent from 2020 to 2025, measured in tons per million euros of sales. By 2030, the company aims to fulfill its electricity needs entirely through renewable energy sources, aspiring to carbon neutrality by 2045.
“We know that we can only achieve our climate targets if we move forward quickly and decisively. This means that we want to rapidly conserve energy by continuously optimizing our products and technologies, reducing waste and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. For us, sustainable management means using materials and energy consciously and minimizing CO2 emissions during production,” says Dr. Matthias Sckuhr, CTO and COO at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies.