Simon Browne

Manager Strategic Business Unit, Freudenberg Performance Materials

Career Highlights

• 2015: as Global SBU Manager Shoe Components at Freudenberg Performance Materials, German HQ: successfully built a global strategy for the Global SBU Shoe Components, paving the way for significant profitable growth in the period 2015-2017.
• 2008-2012: as Vice President, Freudenberg Nonwovens LP, New York, USA, (garment interlinings), restructured the US organization, making it highly profitable within two years. Restructured the Mexican organization to turn it into a highly profitable operation, including substantial improvements in working capital and net funds flow. Continued to increase topline growth and profitability in Central America and the Caribbean, with substantial improvements in working capital and net funds flow.
• 2000-2008: as Managing Director, Freudenberg Vilene Tela San. ve Tic. A.S., Istanbul, Turkey, (garment interlinings),profitably grew the business almost threefold over eight years, becoming market leader in Turkey after four years. Pioneered new fields for products within the woven and weft technologies.
• 1995-2000: as Managing Director, Freudenberg Pty. Ltd, Melbourne, Australia, (garment interlinings),substantially expanded the retail business as well as set-up the Fiji sales and distribution operation supplying garment manufacturers.
• 1993-1995: as Supervisor at Freudenberg & Vilene International Hong Kong, SAR, (garment interlinings), took our sales with several European key accounts in the garment field to record levels.

From Moisture Management to Water Blocking: FREUDENBERG INNOVATING TOGETHER

Even when it comes to water vapor release, let alone air release itself, membranes are often less breathable than required. As certain technologies in membranes come under increasing pressure regarding current and future restricted substances, alternatives and indeed enhancements for future membrane technologies, e.g. for moisture management, are proving very attractive indeed. This is where the revolutionary Airliner Technology from Freudenberg Performance Materials comes into its own. Freudenberg Airliner Technology explores moisture control, water-blocking, water vapor and air release functionality, which has been extensively developed for the footwear industry. Laboratory tests substantiate the claim for a more comfortable footwear climate and now wearer trials with leading global players are being conducted. Whether it be in its water blocking or moisture management capacity, Airliner Technology opens up a multitude of opportunities in markets such as apparel, especially with gloves, rucksack moisture management and head protective wear moisture control. Other application areas such as pressure and air circulation control in technical applications, as well as electrical cable and switch gear protection and even 'microclimate management', is to name but a few. Your particular industry challenges will spark differentiating applications in utilizing the Airliner Technology, so to this end Freudenberg Performance Materials is eager to partner with you in INNOVATING TOGETHER.