Trelleborg (company)

The company was founded in 1905 as "Trelleborgs Gummifabriks AB" (the Rubber Factory Corporation of Trelleborg) by Henry Dunker and Johan Kock, who were both already active in the rubber industry. Initially, the company had 150 employees and produced bicycle tires and rubber for industrial applications. During World War I, the Swedish Armed Forces placed substantial orders.

By the mid 1930s, the number of employees had reached 1,000. Beginning in the 1950s, the share of revenue from sales outside of Sweden increased; in 1950, it was 4%, and in 1970, it was 40%. In 1964, Trelleborgs Gummifabriks AB was floated at the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The current name was adopted in 1977.

Between 1983 and 1991, the strategy was to act as a wide-ranging industrial conglomerate, with a particular focus on mining and metals. Later, the company's focus returned to rubber products. In 1999, the scope was further narrowed by specializing in industrial applications. In 2003, polymer-based precision seals were added to the product offerings.

In 2009 the European Commission fined several marine hose producers, among them Trelleborg AB, "...for participating in a cartel for marine hoses between 1986 and 2007 in violation of the ban on cartels and restrictive business practices in the EC Treaty (Article 81) and the EEA Agreement (Article 53)."[1] In mid 2012, Trelleborg and Freudenberg formed a 50–50 joint venture in antivibration applications for light and heavy vehicles, TrelleborgVibracoustic.

In summer 2016, Trelleborg divested all of its shares to Freudenberg and that concluded the Automotive antivibration journey.[2] In August 2022, it was announced Trelleborg had acquired the Lindau-based aerospace interiors company, MG Silikon GmbH, an entity within Saint-Gobain Group.[3] In October 2022, Trelleborg acquired US-based company, Minnesota Rubber & Plastics, from private equity firm KKR for US$950 million.[4] In March 2022 the Group signed an agreement to divest the Trelleborg Wheel Systems business area to Yokohama Rubber Company. The divestment is expected to be finalized during the firs half of 2023.

Trelleborg TM 900 710-75 R 42

Trelleborg tire TM 2000 on a forage harvester (fitted with CTIS)

Trelleborg AB is divided into the following business areas:[5]

• Trelleborg Industrial Solutions (hose systems, industrial antivibration solutions and selected industrial sealing systems)
• Trelleborg Sealing Solutions (precision seals for industry, aviation and vehicles) – Founded in 1952, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions was previously a part of the Smiths Group's precision seals business. This business, Polymer Sealing Solutions, consisted of four rubber units. These were Busak+Shamban, Dowty Automotive, Shamban and Forsheda. In 2003, Polymer Sealing Solutions was acquired by Trelleborg AB. The name Busak+Shamban remained with all marketing locations, but the manufacturing locations became known as Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. As of April 2, 2007, the Busak+Shamban name was retired, with all locations being brought under the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions umbrella.

Trelleborg AB was in 2018, according to Rubber & Plastics News, the third-largest player in the world market for non-tire rubber products.[6]

The net sales for 2022 had the following geographical distribution:[7]

The 10 largest shareholders of Trelleborg AB, as of December 31, 2018:[8]

Since April 27, 2023, Johan Malmquist has been Chairman of Trelleborg AB. The following table lists the chairmen in chronological order since the company was founded.

Since October 1, 2005, Peter Nilsson has been president and CEO of Trelleborg AB. The following table lists the presidents and CEOs in chronological order since the company was founded.