BURSA, Turkey—Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has opened a plant in Bursa dedicated to producing seals for the automotive industry.
The plant spans about 46,000 square feet and was inaugurated June 3 in the Hoyab industrial site. The firm said in a news release it represents an $11.3 million investment. More than 200 guests attended the formal opening ceremony.
Claus Mohlenkamp, CEO of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, said the facility doubles the company's local capacity. The new manufacturing site employs about 220 and produces a range of products including encoders, bearing seals, radial shaft seal rings and cassette seals used in engines and transmissions.
Turkey is home to a number of original equipment manufacturers, including Toyota, Fiat-Chrysler and Renault. Bosch also houses a facility for its diesel technology.
A company spokesman said the automotive market in Turkey is projected to grow at an annual rate of about 10 percent, with most of the activity focused in the Bursa region.
“Turkey is a geographically important interface between East and West and is therefore interesting for the development of our business with the Middle East,” Mohlenkamp said in a statement.
Freudenberg said it will integrate its smaller Bursa facility, which opened in 2003, into the new site. The spokesman said this is projected to be complete in the coming months. The firm added that more than 100 additional positions are expected to open up by 2017, assuming appropriate business growth.
“With our new, large facility here in Bursa, we can serve our customers in the region more quickly and directly with outstanding, high-quality products that are typical of Freudenberg and our capacity to innovate,” Erdi Ceyhan, president of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Turkey, said in a statement.
The spokesman added that while the facility is primarily focused on the automotive market, there are opportunities for Freudenberg's technology in the energy and agriculture industries.
“We recently started a special sales activity in Turkey for special industry segments,” he said. “We see, especially in these two sectors, a growing demand. At the moment, (the facility is) pretty much focused on automotive, but there is some space left for new business and activities. It's not just limited to automotive.”
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is a global seals manufacturer that serves the automotive, civil aviation, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, food and pharmaceuticals, and agricultural and construction machining industries. As part of the Freudenberg Group, the firm generated 2015 sales of about $2.59 billion with more than 15,000 people worldwide.
The Freudenberg Group is a global conglomerate that operates four main business areas—Seals and Vibration Control Technology, Nonwovens and Filtration, Household Products, and Specialties and Others. The group generated sales of about $8.46 billion in 2015 with about 40,000 employees in 60 countries.