Freudenberg India expands Nagapattinam Training center
Freudenberg India expands Nagapattinam Training center
Over ₹40 Crore invested in 16 Years to Uplift Local Youth—With a Renewed Focus on Empowering Women
India, June 12, 2025 – Germany-based global technology conglomerate, Freudenberg Group, today announced the expansion of its training institute in Nagapattinam. Esther Maria Loidl, Chief Human Resources Officer, Freudenberg & Co. and Member of its global management board laid the foundation stone for the expansion and a new auditorium in the presence of G Sivasailam, Director & CEO, Freudenberg Regional Corporate Center India & Managing Director, Freudenberg Performance Materials India and Dr Chitrakala Mohan, Principal, Freudenberg Training Center.
The Group has made a cumulative investment of over ₹40 crore over the past 16 years to support the upliftment of local communities in the region. Currently, the focus of this expansion and investment is on attracting talent, particularly women students, to provide them with a sustainable future. Plans include converting the existing auditorium into a computer lab that will offer computer-oriented courses. Additionally, a new extension is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2026, featuring state-of-the-art facilities. With this development, Freudenberg Group aims to emphasize inclusion and diversity while providing financial independence and career opportunities for better growth.
The Freudenberg Training Centre was established in 2008 to support the local youth after the devastating 2004 tsunami. Vocational training is offered in welding, fitting, machining, motor mechanics and electrical, enabling students from neighboring communities to find employment and become independent. Set over 28 acres, the campus currently boasts 18 highly qualified staff led by a veteran academic as Principal. To date, the Centre has trained over 1400 students, some of whom are employed in Freudenberg Group companies, with the rest placed at leading companies like Hyundai, Simpson Group, TVS, among others. Few have established successful entrepreneurship ventures of their own in and around the region.
In her remarks post the brief ceremony, Esther Maria Loidl, Chief Human Resources Officer, Freudenberg Group and Member of its global management board, said, ”It’s a pleasure and privilege to lay the foundation for further expansion of our largest CSR initiative in India – the Freudenberg Training center in Nagapattinam. The institute’s growth affirms the visionary decision in 2008 to support the region’s rebuilding by empowering its young people with the right
vocational skills. We look forward to investing and supporting the institute to grow further in its noble mission to power the aspirations of the needy in this region.”
Commenting on the expansion of the institute, G Sivasailam, Director & CEO, Freudenberg Regional Corporate Center India & Managing Director, Freudenberg Performance Materials India, said, “I am immensely proud to see the growth of the institute to where it is today. This reaffirms many of the core values of the Freudenberg group – long-term commitment, proactive and responsible action, among others. I would like to credit the Principal and her faculty who
have been instrumental in ensuring the delivery of quality education to the local youth. They have been constantly innovating and adding to the courses and teaching pedagogy to what it provides is needed in the industry.”
A visibly delighted and moved Dr Chitrakala Mohan, Principal, Freudenberg Training Center, said: “It has been a great journey leading this visionary initiative for 7 years. The whole-hearted and passionate support we receive from the group executives in India and at the global HQ has been pivotal to whatever we’ve been able to accomplish so far. The foundation laying today and the other initiatives in the pipeline will help us expand sustainable community development through world-class vocational education, which sees local youth gainfully employed with leading companies in India.”
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About Freudenberg: Freudenberg is a global technology group that strengthens its customers and society long-term through forward-looking innovations. Together with its partners, customers and research institutions, it develops leading-edge technologies and excellent products and services for about 40 markets and for thousands of applications:
seals, vibration control components, batteries and fuel cells, technical textiles, filters, cleaning technologies and products, specialty chemicals and medical products. Innovation strength, strong customer orientation, diversity and team spirit are the cornerstones of the Group. The 175-year-old company lives by its core values: a commitment to excellence, reliability and proactive, responsible action. In 2024, the Freudenberg Group employed over 52,000 people in around 60 countries worldwide and generated sales nearing €12 billion. For more information, please visit www.freudenberg.com
About Freudenberg India: Freudenberg has held business ties with companies in India for more than 90 years. The Group has 11 production sites around India, across several different industries and employs 3,000+ people at 20 + locations. For more information, please visit www.freudenberg.com/company/locations/freudenberg-in-india
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