The Filter Division of Freudenberg Nonwovens supplies the entire cabin air filter requirements for the European OES business of the Fiat Group.

At its Global Supplier Conference in Torino, Italy, held just before Christmas, the Fiat Group has awarded the prestigious Qualitas Award to the Freudenberg Nonwovens Group as one of their best suppliers. Freudenberg was the only supplier of Original Equipment Service (OES) parts who received this coveted distinction. Freudenberg Nonwovens supplies cabin air filters to the Fiat Group, which also includes Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Iveco, Case, New Holland and FPT.

The Filter Division of Freudenberg Nonwovens supplies the entire cabin air filter requirements for the European OES business of the Fiat Group. The Qualitas Award above all recognized the delivery service, supply chain management and excellent cooperation of Freudenberg and its filter teams in both Italy and Germany.

"We are the first OES supplier ever to receive this award - and that makes us very proud", explained Peter Adam, General Manager Automotive Filters Europe, who received the award in Torino together with the Italian team. "We have also started a pilot project with Fiat called ‘Vendor Managed Inventory' where we directly manage Fiat's stock levels for our products according to agreed targets. To secure highest service levels to Fiat, we are handling packaging and warehousing of the filters locally, i.e. in the vicinity of Fiat's Torino factory.

Cabin air filters by Freudenberg - the market leader for nonwovens and innovation leader for filter solutions in automotive interiors - provide truly effective protection against pollutants and odours in vehicle interiors. The majority of today's vehicles are fitted with cabin air filters by Freudenberg.

Freudenberg Nonwovens is the world's largest producer of nonwovens, with 23 manufacturing and processing sites in 13 countries. The company manufactures interlining nonwovens for the apparel, automotive, construction, shoe, textile/upholstered furniture and hygiene industries and for filters, medical applications and numerous other industrial applications. Last year, the FV Group realized sales of over 800 million Euros and has over 4,800 employees worldwide. The company is part of the Freudenberg Group, which, together with the Nonwovens, Seals and Vibration Control Technology, Household Products and Specialities Business Areas generates sales of around 5.3 billion Euros and has 33,000 employees.