Forbo is a leading producer of floor coverings, building and construction adhesives, as well as power transmission and conveyor belt solutions.
Forbo employs 5.000 people and has an international network of 24 sites with production and distribution companies, 6 assembly operations and 37 sales organizations in a total of 34 countries worldwide. Forbo is headquartered in Baar in the canton of Zug, Switzerland.
In the year 2012 the Group generated net sales of CHF 1,201.1 million and a Group profit of CHF 197.2 million.
Two Divisions - Leading Market Positions
Flooring Systems
The Flooring Systems division offers a broad and attractive range of environmentally friendly linoleum, high-quality vinyl floors, entrance flooring systems for cleaning and drying shoes, carpet tiles, needle felt, and Flotex, the washable textile flooring. Thanks to their excellent technical properties and attractive design, these floorings are invariably the first choice for public buildings, departement stores, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, schools, libraries, commerical offices, leisure centers, hotels, restaurants and cafeterias as well as for applications in the residential market. With a market share of over 65 percent, Forbo is the world market leader in linoleum.
Under the trade name Eurocol, Flooring Systems also provides ready-made adhesives for flooring installations and ceramic tiles as well as leveling compounds for the construction industry.
Movement Systems
Movement Systems is a global industry leader providing top quality power transmission belts, sophisticated conveyor and processing belts as well as plastic modular, timing and flat belts made of synthetic materials. These products are known under the brand name Siegling. They are used in a wide range of applications in industry, trade and the service sector, e.g. as conveyor and processing belts in the food industry, as treadmill belts in fitness studios or as flat belts in mail distribution centers.
Milestones
- 1928: Three linoleum manufacturers - German, Swedish and Swiss - form the Continentale Linoleum Union.
- 1950 - 1973: Diversification into related products such as carpets and vinyl flooring.
- 1973 and 1974: Adhesives activities hived off from linoleum business to be developed independently.
- Continentale Linoleum Union is renamed Forbo to reflect the wider portfolio of activities.
- 1975 - 1994: Forbo evolves into a worldwide group operating on five continents: acquisition of a flooring business in Britain; diversification into wall-coverings and high-pressure laminates.
- 1994: Acquisition of Siegling, specializing in process and conveyor belt systems.
- 1996 - 1998: Divestment of wall-coverings and laminates activities.
- 2000 and 2001: New strategy focusing on four divisions: Linoleum, Vinyl, Belting and Adhesives. Divestment of industrial activities, including extruded profiles, decorative products and coated textiles. Carpet business spun off in management buyout. A series of minor acquisitions to strengthen Adhesives business.
- 2000 - 2003: Adhesives gains world stature by acquiring Swift, operating worldwide from the USA, Europe and Asia. Belting business expands in Britain. Linoleum and Vinyl merged to create Forbo Flooring. Now three strategic businesses: Flooring, Adhesives and Belting.
- 2004 - 2006: Strategic focus on three core divisions reaffirmed. Restructuring and measures to raise profitability. Acquisition of Chinese adhesives manufacturer specialized in hot-melt and water-based adhesives.
- 2007: New branding and growth strategy; three core divisions - flooring, adhesives and belting - renamed Flooring Systems, Bonding Systems and Movement Systems, operating under the Forbo brand with an integrated business strategy.
- 2008: Forbo acquires the lightweight PVC conveyor belting business from Fenner Dunlop (Charlotte) Inc. North America as a further step to strengthen its Movement Systems division.
- Acquisition of Bonar Floors, a major European flooring manufacturer in the contract flooring sector. With this, Flooring Systems strengthens its leading position as a systems provider of resilient flooring solutions in the commercial market.
- 2012: Focus on leading market positions through the sale of the industrial adhesives activity, including synthetic polymers, which belonged to the Bonding Systems division.
- Continued development of building and construction adhesives activity by running it as an independent unit in the Flooring Systems division.
Source:
http://www.forbo.com/en/About-Forbo-Group/
http://www.forbo.com/en/About-Forbo-Group/Company-Overview/
http://www.forbo.com/en/About-Forbo-Group/Milestones/
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