Freudenberg Laying Off in Non Carpet Operations

Durham, NC, Oct. 2, 2008--German specialty textile maker Freudenberg Nonwovens is laying off 59 workers and shuttering some operations in Durham.

Freudenberg's decision comes only three months after it laid off 51 employees in Durham. The company is getting slammed by economic forces that have battered key industries that rely on Freudenberg's products, primarily automotive and housing.

The company's Spunlaid Division, which supplies the automotive and commercial carpet markets, will not be affected by the layoffs.

Freudenberg will have about 160 workers after it closes a fiber plant, which makes fabric for facial wipes and window blinds, inner liners for automobiles and mattress liners. John McNabb, Freudenberg's general manager in Durham, said that sales have plummeted for commodities that are made with Freudenberg materials, such as mattresses and window blinds.

"You can basically use your mattress another year if you have to," McNabb said. "The consumer just lost so much expendable income with the gas prices that they just cut back on the nice-to-haves."

Freudenberg is the world's largest manufacturer of nonwoven textiles with more than 33,000 workers at 23 production sites in 13 countries. Ther job.