Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Tire
    • Airless Tires
    • Non-Tire
    • More News
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Opinion
    • Online Exclusive
    • Special Reports
    • Automotive
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Sustainability
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Best Places to Work
    • War in Ukraine
    • Rubber Division IEC
    • ITEC
    • Women Breaking the Mold
  • PFAS
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
  • Resources
    • Directory
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
  • Data
  • Events
    • RN Events
    • RN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • Rubber News M&A Live
    • PFAS Live
    • Ask the Expert
    • International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC)
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
January 29, 2016 01:00 AM

Freudenberg Medical completes expansion in California

Chris Sweeney
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Freudenberg Medical's clean room at Carpinteria, Calif., was part of an expansion project to add equipment and capacity at the facility.

    CARPINTERIA, Calif.—Freudenberg Medical has expanded its extrusion and molding clean rooms at its silicone operations in Carpinteria.

    The firm said the project includes a floor expansion, updated layout and optimized work cells to accommodate future growth. In addition, its clean room now complies with ISO Class 7 guidelines to serve original equipment manufacturers throughout the region.

    Freudenberg Medical CEO Jorg Schneewind said the firm invested between $2 million and $2.5 million on the project.

    “We see a lot of business opportunities not only on the West Coast, but throughout North America,” Carpinteria General Manager Mark Ostwald said. “We get a lot of feedback from big OEM customers who tell us that they want to bring business back to the U.S., not only from China but from Mexico. They feel that even for their Mexican facilities, California is considered local, and they're looking for local suppliers. With our technical focus, with our silicone expertise, we're a preferred partner for those silicone OEM customers.”

    The firm didn't add more floor space; rather it removed operations from the floor that were not value-adding and increased productivity by redesigning the layout, allowing it to add capacity.

    “When we acquired this business, it was a fraction of the size in three buildings, and now we have multiplied it and it's in two buildings,” Schneewind said. “Generating efficiencies on the shop floor to improve output on the existing manufacturing footprint is definitely one objective here.”

    The 50,000-sq.-ft. Carpinteria facility is the global business unit for silicone processing, with capabilities for silicone extrusion. It offers silicone extrusion, molding and a variety of molding technologies and assembly in both Class 7 and Class 8 clean rooms. Freudenberg Medical operates other silicone sites in Massachusetts, Germany and China.

    The firm ultimately will add nearly 12 machines at Carpinteria—about seven for extrusion and five for molding. Freudenberg Medical already created new jobs in 2015 and is about to add a permanent third shift for its extrusion operation. Over the course of 2016, the firm projects to add 50 more to its work force of 200.

    Mark Ostwald, Freudenberg Medical

    “We don't see silicone growing much differently than the market overall, but we are gaining market share because we are attracting some key programs from key customers,” Schneewind said. “California continues to be a strategic location because of the high value that we provide with our products.”

    Carpinteria consists of five clean rooms. The extrusion and assembly clean rooms both carry Class 7 designation while the other three are Class 8.

    Freudenberg Medical said its silicone extrusion clean room accommodates the following services: post curing; complex braiding and preforming; high precision cut-to-length pigmented/stripped tubing; barium sulfate mixing; laser marking; pad printing; packaging; and assembling of tubing sets among others.

    “It was really a no-brainer to redesign the clean room,” Ostwald said. “The new clean room is much more energy efficient. All the materials and technology that's out there today are much more efficient than what we implemented 30 years ago when we built it.”

    Freudenberg Medical, formerly Helix Medical and MedVenture, is a global manufacturer of innovative medical device technologies with 11 manufacturing operations and 1,400 employees worldwide. It is part of the Freudenberg Group's Seals & Vibration Control Technology business area.

    Related Articles
    Freudenberg unveils new medical brand
    Freudenberg Medical acquires majority stake in Hemoteq
    Freudenberg to restructure silicone business
    Freudenberg to restructure LSR business
    Joest to replace Maschke at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies
    Freudenberg-NOK offers FKM for food and beverage industry
    Similar road for president; Freudenberg-NOK's Portu leans on auto background
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    Most Popular
    1
    Breaking molds, inspiring an entire industry | Women Breaking the Mold 2023
    2
    Banu Bilgin, Prometeon Tyre Group | Women Breaking the Mold 2023
    3
    Camille Duvalle, ExxonMobil Product Solutions Co. | Women Breaking the Mold 2023
    4
    Diya Garware Ibanez, Fulflex | Women Breaking the Mold 2023
    5
    3 key issues the UAW is fighting for in Detroit 3 contracts
    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Tire
      • Airless Tires
      • Non-Tire
      • More News
        • Automotive
        • Executive Action
        • Government/Legal
        • Sustainability
        • Blogs
          • Products
          • Wacky World of Rubber
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Opinion
      • Online Exclusive
      • Special Reports
        • Best Places to Work
        • War in Ukraine
        • Rubber Division IEC
        • ITEC
        • Women Breaking the Mold
    • PFAS
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Resources
      • Directory
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Data
    • Events
      • RN Events
        • International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC)
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
      • RN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • Rubber News M&A Live
      • PFAS Live
      • Ask the Expert
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION