| Trelleborg AB | |
| Type: | Public (Aktiebolag) |
| Location City: | Trelleborg, Sweden |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Industry: | Polymer engineering |
| Products: | Seals, Hoses, Antivibration Solutions, Fenders |
| Revenue: | (2023)[1] |
| Equity: | (2023)[2] |
| Net Income: | (2023)[3] |
| Num Employees: | 15,646 (2023)[4] |
Trelleborg AB is a global engineering group focused on polymer technology, with headquarters in Trelleborg, Sweden, with 15,646 employees and with yearly revenue of 34 billion SEK as of 2023. It became a public company in 1964 and currently trades on the Nasdaq Stockholm as a large-cap component.
The company was founded in 1905 as "Trelleborgs Gummifabriks AB" (the Rubber Factory Corporation of Trelleborg) by Henry Dunker and Johan Kock, who were both already active in the rubber industry. Initially, 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.
By the mid-1930s, the number of employees had reached 1,000. Beginning in the 1950s, the share of revenue from sales outside of Sweden increased; in 1950, it was 4%, and in 1970, it was 40%. In 1964, Trelleborgs Gummifabriks AB was floated at the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The current name was adopted in 1977.
Between 1983 and 1991, the strategy was to act as a wide-ranging industrial conglomerate, with a particular focus on mining and metals. Later, the company's focus returned to rubber products. In 1999, the scope was further narrowed by specializing in industrial applications. In 2003, polymer-based precision seals were added to the product offerings.
In 2009 the European Commission fined several marine hose producers, among them 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)."[5] In mid-2012, Trelleborg and Freudenberg formed a 50–50 joint venture in antivibration applications for light and heavy vehicles, TrelleborgVibracoustic.
In summer 2016, Trelleborg divested all of its shares to Freudenberg, and that concluded the Automotive antivibration journey.[6] In August 2022, it was announced Trelleborg had acquired the Lindau-based aerospace interiors company, MG Silikon GmbH, an entity within Saint-Gobain Group.[7] In October 2022, Trelleborg acquired US-based company, Minnesota Rubber & Plastics, from private equity firm KKR for US$950million.[8] In March 2022 the Group signed an agreement to divest the Trelleborg Wheel Systems business area to Yokohama Rubber Company. The divestment is expected to be finalized during the first half of 2023.
Trelleborg AB is divided into the following business areas:[9]
Trelleborg AB was in 2018, according to Rubber & Plastics News, the third-largest player in the world market for non-tire rubber products.[10]
| 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:[11]
| Region | Share of sales | |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 46% | |
| North and South America | 33% | |
| Asia and other markets | 21% |
The 10 largest shareholders of Trelleborg AB, as of December 31, 2023:[12]
| No | Shareholder | Percent of share capital | Percent of votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Dunker Donation Fund & Foundations | 11.33% | 55.78% | |
| 2 | 4.97% | 2.48% | ||
| 3 | 4.15% | 2.07% | ||
| 4 | 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% |
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 |