Weinheim. July 16, 2014. Norbert Dahlström passed away on July 3, 2014 at the age of 77. From 1978 he was Chief Representative and from 1980 General Partner of the Freudenberg & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft Management Board. During his 22 year tenure, he made a significant contribution to shaping the Freudenberg Group's Nonwovens and Household Products businesses. He was held in high esteem both within the company, as well as by German and international industry. As bearer of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, he held numerous honorary posts in the German economy.
"Norbert Dahlström was an excellent entrepreneur, characterized by his Hanseatic reliability. A visionary – he supported new developments. He was highly-regarded and held the confidence of his business partners, customers, colleagues and employees," explained Martin Wentzler, Chairman of the Freudenberg Group Board of Partners.
Norbert Dahlström played a decisive part in the company's internationalization and a major role in the global influence of both Freudenberg Nonwovens and Freudenberg Household Products. Under his responsibility, Freudenberg Household Products was spun off as an independent Business Group, creating the basis of its success today.
At the same time, Norbert Dahlström was substantially involved in gaining acceptance and respect for the emerging nonwovens industry, not least through his involvement of many years as Member of the Board and President of the European Nonwoven Association, EDANA, Brussels.
In 2000, Norbert Dahlström was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his service to the German textile industry and German industry in general. Among other things, he was active in the foreign trade committee at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, in the Presidium of the Confederation of the German Textile Industry, on the south-west advisory councils of the Dresdner Bank and the Mannheimer Versicherung, and in the foreign trade committee, as well as the cultural committee, of the Federation of German Industries.