subject: Freudenberg Group Enters The Indian Wind Energy Market [print this page] Freudenberg Group enters the Indian wind energy market
Ventoguard a new high performance material that delivers higher temperature & ozone resistance and a new series of release agents that improve rotor blade performance of wind turbines, launched in India
Bangalore, India, October 21, 2011. The Freudenberg Group, a 5.4 billion Euros family company offering its customers technically challenging product solutions and services enters the fast growing Indian wind energy market with high-tech solutions from across the various operating companies in the group. The Indian wind energy sectors current installed capacity is over 14,150 MW (as on March 31, 2011) which makes it the 5th largest market in the world. With on-shore utilization of wind energy for electricity generation estimated at 65,000 MW, India is clearly the market of the future. The Group plans to leverage its global leadership in the space where nearly every second wind turbine in the world features a seal product from Freudenberg. Suzlon Energy, the 5th largest wind turbine manufacturer globally and operator of the largest wind park in the world (of 584 MW in the Western Ghats of the state of Tamil Nadu) already is a customer of Freudenberg.
Companies like Simrit and Klber offer tailor-made seal and specialty lubricant solutions under the "Lube & Seal" brand. This combination gives us a clear competitive edge. We have the competence needed for harmonized solutions within the Freudenberg Group, said Michael Littig, Director- Sales, Simrit Energy Europe.
Introduction of Ventoguard: The adverse environmental conditions hinder the capacity of the seal and lubricant in the long run. In order to overcome this impediment, materials scientists at Freudenberg Seals and Vibration Control Technology have developed a high performance material Ventoguard that features greater temperature and ozone resistance, ensuring a longer service life. Ventoguard materials lower the minimum temperature from minus 30 to minus 40 degrees, significantly extending the range of applications, especially with respect to different locations and extreme temperature conditions. Another advantage is that the relaxation behavior of the material has been significantly improved which is important for effective sealing in the long term and in turn offers cost benefits.
Introduction of a new series of release agents: Besides tailor made seals and lubricants from Simrit and Klber, Chem-Trend, part of the Freudenberg Group, has developed a new series of release agents that offer outstanding performance when removing rotor blades from the mold. Wind turbine rotor blades play a significant role in energy efficiency. The design and shape of the blades have been optimized to meet steadily growing requirements for improved aerodynamics and the highest possible energy yields.
Rotor blades are molded from a wide range of composite materials. With special release agents from Chem-Trend, it is easier to release the blades from the mold without damaging them, which was a cause of concern with regard to energy efficiency.
Furthermore products from Freudenberg Nonwovens are used for composites (FRP) which are suited for surface protection and as core material in products such as pipes, tanks, container boards, facade panels, skis, surfboards, boats and even rotor blades for wind power stations. Surfacing nonwovens improve the resistance to both corrosion and abrasion defects. Core materials are used to reduce the weight and to increase mechanical strength which helps in cost cutting.
About Freudenberg in India: Freudenberg has held business ties with customers and partners in India for nearly 100 years. The Group has a workforce of more than 2,300 associates at eleven locations. The combined sales of its ten operating business units in India stood at '794 crores in 2010. The Group operates at over 30 facilities in India and maintains a long-term commitment to the Indian market.
About the Freudenberg Group: The Freudenberg Group is a family company offering its customers technically challenging product solutions and services. The Group is first and foremost a supplier specializing in seals and vibration control technology, nonwovens, filtration, lubricants and release agents as well as mechatronic products. The end-user can find modern Freudenberg household products in the shops under the brand names of vileda, OCedar and Wettex. And especially for mid-sized companies Freudenberg develops software solutions and IT services. In 2010, the Freudenberg Group employed more than 34,000 people in 59 countries and generated sales of over 5.4 billion Euros.
