What factors have contributed to the Group's success in India?
Freudenberg's strategic acquisitions have supported Indian operations a lot. Also, the implementation and anchoring of our global brand in the organisation has made us more visible in India. We have advanced Sustainability as a driver of innovation. Success for Freudenberg means total success. Our CSR projects in India showcase our global and regional commitment to our responsibility for society.

Any major investments that you have done in the last one year? Anything planned for the near future?
On a group level, we will continue to look into business opportunities which could arise globally - and India is an important player in this context. We will grow wherever there is an opportunity for growth in defined segments. That means we will grow more quickly in the growth regions of the world than in certain established markets. For the long-term, we will strive for a balanced presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia. In this way, we want to become more independent from regional developments or currency exchange rate fluctuations.

Within the context of its growth strategy, Freudenberg invests continuously in India. Two completed investment projects in Mysore and in Basma with a total amount of more than Rs290 crore underscore Freudenberg's long-term commitment to India. We will see more such development plans in 2017 too.

(Continued. For the complete interview, read the February 2017 issue of The Machinist)