# Trelleborg (company)

Trelleborg AB is a multi-national engineering company headquartered in Trelleborg, Sweden. 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. The company became public in 1964 and currently trades on Nasdaq Stockholm.

## History

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.
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.
Between 1983 and 1991, the company's scope broadened to the areas of mining and metals. In 1999, the scope was narrowed due to specialisation into industrial applications. In 2003, Trelleborg AB began manufacturing polymer-based precision seals.
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)."
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 and divested its shares in this venture to Freudenberg in 2016.
In 2022, Trelleborg acquired the Lindau-based aerospace interiors company, MG Silikon GmbH, an entity within Saint-Gobain Group, and the US-based company Minnesota Rubber & Plastics from the private equity firm KKR for US$950 million.
In 2025, Trelleborg AB announced that they would be acquiring Aero-Plastics Inc.

## Criticism

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.

## Operations

Trelleborg AB is divided into the following business areas:
* 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

In 2018, Trelleborg AB was the third-largest player in the world market for non-tire rubber products according to Rubber & Plastics News.
| 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:
| Region | Share of sales |
| Europe | 46% |
| North and South America | 33% |
| Asia and other markets | 21% |

## Ownership

The 10 largest shareholders of Trelleborg AB, as of December 31, 2023:
| No | Shareholder | Percent of share capital | Percent of votes |
| 1 | Henry Dunker Donation Fund & Foundations | 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% |
* ↑ 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

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 |