Trelleborg combines two business areas

As of the beginning 2007, an organizational change is being implemented whereby the Trelleborg Building Systems business area will be combined with the Trelleborg Engineered Systems business area, and will become a part of this business area. Following this combination, Trelleborg Engineered Systems, headed by Lennart Johansson, will have annual sales about SEK 10 billion, with approximately 7,000 employees.



“Combining these two business areas is part of efforts to continue to improve our structure and to generate synergism and efficiency gains,” says Peter Nilsson, President and CEO of Trelleborg. “In many respects, Trelleborg Building Systems and Trelleborg Engineered Systems have a similar business model, and we will gain from a strengthening of the processes that they have in common. Our ambition is to create an even stronger and more focused organization for the benefit of our customers.”



Following 15 years as President of Trelleborg Building Systems, Peter Suter, aged 63, will retire from the operational role as business area head. As of January 1, 2007, Peter Suter will focus on developing the strategic, newly established corporate function that will be responsible for raw material supplies within Trelleborg, which he has recently been coordinating in parallel with his position as business area head. His duties will also include strategic projects at the corporate level. Peter Suter will continue to be a member of Trelleborg’s Group Management.



“Peter Suter has developed Trelleborg Building Systems in an excellent manner so that it now holds leading positions in the Sealing and Waterproofing segments,” says Peter Nilsson. “We are delighted that his solid experience and sound knowledge will now be used to en even greater extent for the benefit of the entire Group. We have assigned a high priority to purchasing matters, and it is extremely reassuring that Peter will now further strengthen this important function, and also take on other Group-wide projects.” 



As a result, Trelleborg’s operations will be divided into four business areas (their share of the Group’s annual sales, as at September 2006 and adjusted for acquisitions is shown within parentheses): Trelleborg Engineered Systems (37%), Trelleborg Automotive (33%), Trelleborg Sealing Solutions (19%) and Trelleborg Wheel Systems (11%). 



Trelleborg Engineered Systems had sales of approximately SEK 5,900 million for the period from October 2005 to September 2006. In addition, Reeves Brothers Inc, with annual sales of about SEK 1,400 million, was acquired in October 2006. The business area has some 5,300 employees. Trelleborg Building Systems had sales of approximately SEK 2,500 million for the period from October 2005 to September 2006, with about 1,600 employees.