By David Reed, UT EditorWolfhausen, Switzerland-Foam Partner Group, a speciality foam manufacturer owned by Conzetta Holding of Switzerland, has reported sales up 6.7 percent, to SFr128 million ($101 million), despite "a rather difficult environment."The group grew out of informal arrangements between four international companies--Fritz Nauer AG, of Wolfhausen, Switzerland, Reisgies Schaumstoffe GmbH of Leverkusen, Germany, Frina Mousse Sarl of Wittenheim, France, and Swisstex Inc. of Greenville, US-in September 1999. The four companies have been owned by the Swiss-based group Conzetta-Holding since the mid-1990s.One highlight of the year was that the firm's Reisgies operation in Leverkusen unit was certified under the ISO/TS 16949:2002-based system by TUV Rheinland. This has raised the level of their quality management system in respect of the development, production and conversion of polyurethane foams, the firm pointed out, in a 31 March statement.The Foam Partner Group has 450 employees worldwide, making a range of speciality flexible foams for:• Industrial applications such as filtration;• Comfort and health uses, in mattresses and padding;• Automotive uses, in acoustic sound deadening; and• Household uses such as special sponges.FoamPartner's core market is in Europe, but the group has previously said it also has "clear aims in the North American and the Asiatic markets."
