Looking back on about 60 years of experience vileda® is one of the international well-known and leading brands beside O'Cedar® and Wettex®. The Freudenberg Household Products' activities are divided into the Consumer Division (some 85% of sales) and the Professional Division. FHP is a subsidiary of the Freudenberg Group, a privately owned German company.

Business Group growth was bolstered by the positive stable consumer climate in almost all relevant markets and the successful launch of new products. Innovations very well received by the market include the new generation of three-dimensional cloths (Novolon®), the electric broom (E-Sweeper) initially marketed in southern Europe, a special ceramic hob cleaner, a new range of more lightweight laundry care products and regional expansion of the 2in1 broom and mop range successfully launched last year. Product development in general was given a stronger regional focus by establishing technical development centres in Chicago, USA and Suzhou, China. There was also a slight rise in the workforce. At year-end 2006, Freudenberg Household Products employed 2,212 people, 12 more than the previous year (2005: 2,200).

The regional presence was further expanded to 29 countries. The Business Group's own sales branches were successfully established in Turkey and the Netherlands. A sales joint venture for the Professional Division was set up in Russia and a production joint venture to supply the Middle East region was successfully started in Jordan. The new production and administration building in Suzhou, China, was completed following a twelve-month construction phase. Investment projects included a production line for the innovative three-dimensional nonwoven Novolon® at the facility in Augsburg, Germany, and a new fully-automated production line for the new generation of wet mops in Parets del Vallés, Spain.

Vileda's roots date back to the year 1849 when Carl Johann Freudenberg took over the Heintze und Sammet tannery in Weinheim, Germany. Thanks to the high quality of leather goods produced there, the tannery quickly expanded to become one of Europe’s largest.Freudenberg proved his entrepreneurial credentials with an instinctive feel for customers’ needs and the ability to manufacture innovative, forward-thinking products that fulfilled them. A talent Freudenberg passed on to his heirs. During the economic crisis of 1929, scarcity of raw materials forced the enterprise to rethink its position and find alternatives to leather. In 1936 the chemist Dr. Carl Ludwig Nottebohm offered the Carl Freudenberg enterprise a procedure which would eventually enable the manufacture of synthetic leather. He carried on his research in the following years, ultimately developing an entirely new non-woven fabric. The Vileda anstatt Fenstertuch synthetic leather chammy, which utilised this new fabric, laid the cornerstone of the Vileda brand in 1948. The name Vileda derives from the German “wie Leder” which translates to “like leather”. As with many other brands in the fast moving consumer goods industry it was innovation that laid the foundation for the brand and still remains at its heart. Today, the Freudenberg Household Products (FHP) subsidiary of the Freudenberg Group parent company is responsible for Vileda’s global activities.Glance to the past inspires for the future. The German enterprise has manufactured numerous, ground-breaking products in its 60 year history. The legendary Vileda window cloth, the Glitzi sponge and of course the Vileda floor mop have defined their market segments and have become global household names in their own right. Simply put, it is quality made in Germany. 

State-of-the-art innovations and forever a finger on the pulse are Vileda’s defining strengths. The creation of something new is understood in terms of fusing established know-how and expertise with forward-thinking ideas, thereby offering our customers real help and support around the house.For over 60 years now, our research and development teams have been focusing their work on dedicated, task-oriented household tools.

Ground-breaking new products are constantly being developed; all based on the latest technologies, targeted analyses and customer needs. These products address all the various cleaning problems encountered in the home and do so with a focus on ease-of-use and efficiency. Innovative inventions, such as the non-woven fabric developed in the 40s or the more recent Microfibre and Pick-Up Pockets technologies, have all set new standards. Products such as the Vileda Window Cloth, the Super Mocio, the All Purpose Cloth and the flat mops (Wischmat and ActiveMax) have all revolutionised their segments and have become household names in doing so. Health and safety aspects also play a large role in the product development, particular attention being paid to the ergonomics of a product. For instance, the adjustable telescopic mop handles help defend against chronic back pains aggravated by poor posture when cleaning. The wringers help squeeze the water out of the mop without having to overly exert oneself or bend over.Form follows function. Alongside efficiency and the other functional aspects of the product development cycle, aesthetics also plays a role. Indeed, the ceaseless improvement of our products is reflected in the constantly updated designs. Efficiency, ergonomics and design all join forces to transform your household chores into a fast and effortless undertaking – leaving more quality time for family and friends.

Within a mere six decades the family-run Freudenberg Household Products has put together a broad product portfolio and established a firm role as market leader in the mechanical cleaning products segment. The focus all the while has remained on the highest quality standards as well as consumer and customer satisfaction.The test results of numerous, independent institutions, such as ECARF and Stiftung Warentest, as well as continually positive customer feedback are testament to the high quality of Vileda products. Alongside the consumer benefit, particular importance is placed on stability and durability of the products, all of which are designed and manufactured using the latest technologies. Vileda is constantly developing new products and the materials used in their manufacture as well as optimising existing products and materials. The FHP research and development departments constantly define new standards, guaranteeing the products’ endurance and lifespan. Rigorous testing in the FHP quality assurance laboratories ensures these high expectations are always met. At the end of the day top quality, innovation, efficiency, durability and value for money are the hallmarks of Vileda’s time-saving household helpers.