Trelleborg AB is a multi-national engineering company headquartered in Trelleborg, Sweden.[2] Trelleborg focuses on the designing and manufacturing of polymer technology, their main products include seals, hoses and antivibration solutions. According to the Financial Times, the company currently employs 15.65k people and has earned 34.17 billion SEK in revenue.[3] The company became public in 1964 and currently trades on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Trelleborg AB
Company typePublic (Aktiebolag)
Nasdaq StockholmTREL B
IndustryPolymer engineering
Founded1905; 120 years ago (1905)
Founders
  • Henry Dunker
  • Johan Kock
Headquarters
Trelleborg, Sweden
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Johan Malmquist (Chairman)
  • Peter Nilsson (President and CEO)
Products Seals, Hoses, Antivibration Solutions, Fenders
Revenue34 billion kr (2023)[1]
7,368,000,000 Swedish krona (2023) Edit this on Wikidata
10,075 million kr (2023)[1]
Total equity41,727 million kr (2023)[1]
Number of employees
15,646 (2023)[1]
Divisions
  • Trelleborg Industrial Solutions
  • Trelleborg Sealing Solutions
  • Trelleborg Medical Solutions
Websitetrelleborg.com

History

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The company was founded by Henry Dunker and Johan Kock as "Trelleborgs Gummifabriks AB" (the Rubber Factory Corporation of Trelleborg). The company had 150 employees and produced bicycle tires and rubber for industrial applications. During World War I, the Swedish Armed Forces placed substantial orders.[citation needed]

By the mid-1930s, the number of employees had reached 1,000. Beginning in the 1950s.Trelleborgs Gummifabriks AB was floated at the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Its current name was adopted in 1977.[citation needed]

Between 1983 and 1991, the company's scope broadened to the areas of mining and metals. In 1999, the scope was narrowed because of specialisation into industrial applications. In 2003, Trelleborg AB began manufacturing polymer-based precision seals[citation needed]

In 2009, the European Commission fined several marine hose producers, including Trelleborg AB, "...for participating in a cartel for marine hoses between 1986 and 2007 in violation of the ban on cartels and restrictive business practices in the EC Treaty (Article 81) and the EEA Agreement (Article 53)."[4]

In mid-2012, Trelleborg and Freudenberg formed a 50–50 joint venture in anti-vibration applications for light and heavy vehicles, called TrelleborgVibracoustic. Trelleborg ended this divested its shares in this venture to Freudenberg in 2016.[5]

In 2022, Trelleborg acquired the Lindau-based aerospace interiors company, MG Silikon GmbH, an entity within Saint-Gobain Group,[6] and the US-based company Minnesota Rubber & Plastics from private equity firm KKR for US$950 million.[7]

In 2025, Trelleborg AB announced that they would be acquiring Aero-Plastics Inc.[8]

Criticism

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Trelleborg AB has faced criticism for its activities in Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The company initially pledged to suspend deliveries and sales to Russia. However, reports indicated that sales continued until February 2023, contradicting their earlier commitment.[9]

Operations

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Trelleborg AB is divided into the following business areas:[10]

  • Trelleborg Industrial Solutions (hose systems, industrial anti-vibration solutions and selected industrial sealing systems)
  • Trelleborg Sealing Solutions (precision seals for industry, aviation and vehicles) – Founded in 1952, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions was previously a part of the Smiths Group's precision seals business. This business, Polymer Sealing Solutions, consisted of four rubber units. These were Busak+Shamban, Dowty Automotive, Shamban and Forsheda. In 2003, Polymer Sealing Solutions was acquired by Trelleborg AB. The name Busak+Shamban remained with all marketing locations, but the manufacturing locations became known as Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. As of April 2, 2007, the Busak+Shamban name was retired, with all locations being brought under the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions umbrella.
  • Trelleborg Medical Solutions – A global supplier of polymer-based integrated solutions for medical devices and biopharma

Market

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Trelleborg AB was in 2018, according to Rubber & Plastics News, the third-largest player in the world market for non-tire rubber products.[11]

Ranking by sales Company Country
1 Continental AG Germany
2 Hutchinson SA France
3 Trelleborg AB Sweden
4 Freudenberg Group Germany
5 Bridgestone Japan
6 NOK Inc. Japan
7 Tokai Rubber Industries Japan
8 Pinafore Holdings B.V. United Kingdom
9 Cooper-Standard Automotive United States
10 Parker Hannifin United States

The net sales for 2022 had the following geographical distribution:[12]

Region Share of sales
Europe 46%
North and South America 33%
Asia and other markets 21%

Ownership

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The 10 largest shareholders of Trelleborg AB, as of December 31, 2023:[13]

No Shareholder Percent of share capital Percent of votes
1 Henry Dunker Donation Fund & Foundations[a] 11.33% 55.78%
2 Allianz Global Investors 4.97% 2.48%
3 Capital Group 4.15% 2.07%
4 Vanguard 3.31% 1.65%
5 Swedbank Robur Funds 2.65% 1.32%
6 Handelsbanken Funds 2.15% 1.07%
7 Norges Bank 1.84% 0.92%
8 Lannebo Funds 1.79% 0.89%
9 BlackRock 1.73% 0.87%
10 Folksam 1.61% 0.80%
  1. ^ All of the Series A shares are owned by the Dunker Funds and Foundations, which were created through testamentary disposition by the founder of the Helsingborg and Trelleborg rubber-production plants, Henry Dunker.

Governance

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Since April 27, 2023, Johan Malmquist has been Chairman of Trelleborg AB. The following table lists the chairmen in chronological order since the company was founded.

Period Chairman
August 24, 1905 – December 18, 1909 Gustaf Lagergren
December 19, 1909 – May 1, 1945 Johan Kock
May 2, 1945 – May 3, 1962 Henry Dunker
May 17, 1962 – May 24, 1965 Lars Gunnar Ohlsson
May 25, 1965 – May 25, 1970 Hadar Hallström
May 26, 1970 – May 17, 1976 Lars Gunnar Ohlsson
May 18, 1976 - May 30, 1985 Åke Ståhlbrandt
May 31, 1985 – May 30, 1990 Ernst Herslow
May 31, 1990 – April 23, 2002 Rune Andersson
April 24, 2002 – April 23, 2013 Anders Narvinger
April 24, 2013 – April 25, 2018 Sören Mellstig
April 26, 2018 – April 27, 2023 Hans Biörck
April 27, 2023 – Johan Malmquist

Since October 1, 2005, Peter Nilsson has been president and CEO of Trelleborg AB. The following table lists the presidents and CEOs in chronological order since the company was founded.

Period President and CEO
August 24, 1905 – May 17, 1947 Henry Dunker
September 1, 1939 – July 21, 1949 (at the time, the law permitted appointment of more than one CEO) Hilding Ståhlbrandt
August 29, 1949 – May 17, 1976 Åke Ståhlbrandt
May 18, 1976 – April 30, 1983 Arne Lundqvist
May 1, 1983 – May 30, 1990 Rune Andersson
May 31, 1990 – January 26, 1999 Kjell Nilsson
January 27, 1999 – February 8, 1999 Hans Porat (temporary)
February 9, 1999 – September 30, 2005 Fredrik Arp
October 1, 2005 – Peter Nilsson

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Annual Report 2023" (PDF). Trelleborg AB. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Trelleborg AB". Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Trelleborg AB, TREL B:STO profile - FT.com". Trelleborg AB, TREL B:STO profile - FT.com. 21 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Press corner | European Commission".
  5. ^ [1] History
  6. ^ Diaconu, Cristina (2022-08-01). "Trelleborg Acquires Manufacturer of Aerospace Components". Manufacturing & Engineering. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  7. ^ "Trelleborg finalises acquisition of Minnesota Rubber & Plastics". Med-Tech Innovation. 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  8. ^ "Acquisition strengthens Trelleborg aerospace offering | Trelleborg Sealing Solutions". Trelleborg. 18 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Trelleborg Group". leave-russia.org. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  10. ^ [2] Organization
  11. ^ Bruce Meyer (2011). "Rankings". Rubber & Plastics News (July 18). Crain Communications: 12.
  12. ^ [3] Annual Report
  13. ^ "Ownership Structure". www.trelleborg.com. Retrieved 2024-12-20.