Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel has expanded its manufacturing facility in Chennai to strengthen local production and better serve India’s fast-growing apparel market.
The new 20,000-square-foot expansion increases the plant’s total area to 60,000 square feet and adds advanced production lines for 100% cotton and 100% polyester interlinings, including locally produced polyester bi-elastic shirts and woven interlinings, products previously imported from China. The move aims to cut lead times for Indian apparel manufacturers from six to eight weeks (for imports) to just one to two weeks with local supply.
Apparel Resources was invited to the opening ceremony and met with Freudenberg’s top global leadership — Dr. Frank Heislitz, Member, Management Board of Freudenberg Group and Chief Technology Officer; Dr. Andreas Raps, CEO, Freudenberg Performance Materials; and Jonathan Oh, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Apparel Division, Freudenberg Performance Materials.
“This expansion marks a milestone in our 27-year journey in India and in our role as a trusted partner in our customers’ growth. When our customers gain speed and margin, we all succeed,” said Dr. Raps.
Jonathan Oh added that localising production of Freudenberg’s advanced interlinings will not only improve speed-to-market but also help Indian apparel manufacturers compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
The Chennai site already houses paste dot, 3P printing, and powder dot printing capabilities. With the new additions, Freudenberg will offer an even wider range of high-quality, locally produced interlinings to serve India and South Asia more effectively.
Freudenberg Performance Materials is a global supplier of high-performance technical textiles serving diverse industries, including apparel, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, filtration, footwear, and leather goods.
