Summary sheet
The operation will finance the promoter's research, development and innovation (RDI) activities in the automation and digitalisation of internal processes, as well as in the development of new technologies, materials and processes to support its broad product portfolio. The project covers the promoter's RDI programme for the period 2025–2028, carried out by the central research and development unit, Freudenberg Technology Innovation (FTI).
The aim is to strengthen the promoter's long-term competitiveness through technology and innovation leadership. The project comprises a portfolio of RDI investments across the promoter's key business segments.
The operation is financing the promoter's RDI activities in automation and digitalisation of internal processes, as well as RDI activities in the development of new technologies, materials and processes to support the promoter's wide product portfolio, in business areas such as sealings, performance materials, vibration control technologies, home and cleaning solutions, chemical specialities, medical technologies, and others. It will further knowledge creation and diffusion through the Promoter's collaborations with customers, industrial and supply chain partners. It will also contribute to a continued reskilling and upskilling of Promoter's resources, in addition to integrating additional skills to meet the needs emerging from the industry transformation, specifically in the area of AI-driven automation and virtualisation.
The financing of this RDI project is therefore set to generate positive knowledge and environmental externalities. Such investments contribute to the Bank's "Innovation, Digital and Human Capital" public policy objective, with part of them also contributing to the EIB Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability policy objective. The project will fully contribute to TechEU under "Digitalisation and technological innovation", a core strategic priority within the Bank's Strategic Roadmap. EIB financing supports the Promoter's investments addressing market failures and gaps associated with imperfect competition and incomplete markets for innovative manufacturing technologies, and those addressed by projects with positive knowledge and environmental externalities generation.
This Project will help the Promoter implement its strategic objectives and strengthen its know-how, competence, and position in the key technology fields. As such, it will help the promoter address the evolving market and technology context, the relevant customer needs, and to achieve its medium- and long-term sales and profitability targets. The Project will add to the social welfare and bring about social benefits by generating positive environmental and knowledge externalities.
The Bank's contribution to the project is underpinned by a combination of advantageous terms, a meaningful loan amount, as well as a signalling effect in terms of confidence in the business model, thereby facilitating the project's financing and full implementation.
The operation includes RDI activities that are not explicitly listed under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive and will be carried out within existing facilities, without altering their authorised scope. An EIA is therefore not required under Directive 2014/52/EU (amending Directive 2011/92/EU).
The promoter is a private company not operating in the Utilities sector and not having a status of a contracting entity. Thus, it is not covered by EU Directives on procurement.