Weinheim, July 10, 2015. The technology group Freudenberg today launched its redesigned brand identity. The new Freudenberg global brand – from the clear brand essence through the new corporate logo to the evolved brand architecture – made its debut at the DIALOG senior management meeting in Detroit, USA.
"A strong Freudenberg brand offers a clear orientation in this ever more complex world. It radiates success and delivers a clear unique selling proposition", Dr. Mohsen Sohi, CEO of the Freudenberg Group, said. A strong global brand will allow Freudenberg to establish a clear positioning with customers and stakeholders, achieve greater motivation and identification among its employees, become more attractive in the competition to recruit talent and, not least, help smaller Business Groups achieve market success faster. "Strengthening our Freudenberg global brand makes us much more visible and attractive for all stakeholders", Sohi explained.
The journey to the new brand
The process that began in the fall of 2013 initially focused on fundamental strategic issues: what does Freudenberg stand for today? What should Freudenberg stand for in 2020? What best describes the essence of Freudenberg? The company formulated answers to these questions, incorporating input from numerous stakeholders, customer evaluations and various internal company bodies as well as key megatrends. The result is a new strategic positioning, worded exclusively in English to express a worldwide common understanding: "Freudenberg is a values-based technology group that best serves its customers and society". This positioning describes all the distinguishing characteristics of Freudenberg which set the company apart from other organizations. "We constantly strive for technological leadership and to deliver best-quality products, processes and services for the success of our customers", Sohi said. In addition, this positioning highlights the company's value orientation by seeking to improve living conditions all over the world through its products and services and fostering social interaction. "This is about achieving excellence in everything we do", Sohi emphasized.
Based on this positioning, Freudenberg went on to define the other elements of the Freudenberg global brand: a corporate identity with a sophisticated corporate design and a new brand architecture.
New visual representation
The new logo includes the company slogan "FREUDENBERG. INNOVATING TOGETHER". The capital letters stand for Freudenberg's strength as a global player. The sine curve remains a symbol of Freudenberg's technical expertise and commitment to excellence. Through the new positioning, "wings" have been added to the curve. They stand for openness, more dynamism and symbolize togetherness. They represent partnership with Freudenberg's various stakeholders across the Business Groups and world regions. At the same time, the new visual element of the logo can be seen as a bridge, standing for greater collaboration with all stakeholders, as well as for reliability and solidity.
The new brand architecture
A clear picture emerged from customer analyses: the vast majority of customers does not differentiate between Business Groups or product brands when purchasing from Freudenberg. Consequently, the Business Groups worked on creating synergies and on redesigning and focusing their brands. The result: the new corporate identity, including the company slogan, applies for all companies whose names contain the word "Freudenberg". Only companies with their own strong brand, such as Vileda or Klüber Lubrication, retain their own brand identity. At the same time, though, they support the Freudenberg global brand by adding "a brand of Freudenberg" to indicate their affiliation; this is also how Freudenberg in return supports each independent brand.
About the Freudenberg Group
Freudenberg is a global technology group that strengthens its customers and society long-term through forward-looking innovations. Together with its partners, customers and the world of science, the Freudenberg Group develops leading-edge technologies, and excellent products, solutions and services for more than 30 market segments and for thousands of applications: seals, vibration control components, nonwovens, filters, specialty chemicals, medical and mechatronic products, IT services and the most modern cleaning products.
Innovation strength, strong customer orientation, diversity and team spirit are the cornerstones of our Group. Commitment to excellence, reliability and pro-active, responsible action belong to the company's core values lived for more than 165 years.
In 2014, the Freudenberg Group employed over 40,000 people in some 60 countries worldwide and generated sales of more than 7 billion Euros (including pro-rata consolidation of 50:50 joint ventures).
For more information, please visit www.freudenberg.com.