Heino Freudenberg

Jim Sun:Hi，Mr. Heino. Thanks for accepting our interview. How many times have you visited China?

Heino Freudenberg: China is close to my heart! I lived with my family in Hong Kong during the years 2004-2009 and visited Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Dalian, et al. very regularly, back then serving the Chinese garment industry. We have a number of Chinese friends and I am always happy to come back to China. Next time will be before the summer!

Jim Sun:As President & CEO of Vinventions, Could you please make introduction of the new company? Can you share us some stories?

Heino Freudenberg: Vinventions has been created in January 2015 by family entrepreneur Marc Noel, jointly together with Bespoke Capital Partners, and further partners, including myself. Vinventions will become the most innovative and trusted supplier of complete wine closure solutions to the still and sparkling wine industry worldwide, including China.

In January 2015, Vinventions acquired Nomacorc, the global leading supplier of high-end coextruded closures to the wine industry. In June 2015, Ohlinger Group, the leading specialist in Germany for complete wine closure solutions, joined Vinventions. In November 2015, Vinventions took a global distributorship for Vinolok/Vinoseal glass closures. In December 2015, Syntek Bouchage became licensee of Vinventions.

Further extensions are in preparation. Vinventions produces over 2.5 billion closures p.a. and closes every 8th wine bottle worldwide as well as e.g. every 3rd wine bottle in USA, every 5th bottle in France, Germany and Argentina.

We currently employ over 500 associates and operate five production sites in USA, Belgium, Germany, Argentina and China. Our Chinese factory is located in Yantai/China. Our leadership values center around customer dedication, innovation, operational excellence, local entrepreneurship, open teamwork and long-term responsibility.

Despite our young history, there are many nice stories to share, for example: Marc Noel and I know each other since more than 25 years. My grand-father supported Marc’s father in building his very successful family company in Belgium. Marc’s father then became my first mentor when I was 14 years old and we stayed close for the rest of his life. Therefore, our Vinventions’ company values have deep joint personal roots! 

Select Bio closure

Jim Sun:What have you done to improve the quality and image from the factory to marketing?

Heino Freudenberg:Nomacorc is at the core of Vinventions and we are fundamentally reinventing our value proposition to our customers: The new generations of products – led by Select Bio 2.0 and Classic 2.0 – offer further improved performance (including extended wine preservation), an entirely new natural look and feel (soft-touch skin, natural look) and use renewable bio-polymers, which are not derived from fossil fuels, but instead are based on renewable sugar cane. This significantly reduces our environmental impact with products like Select Bio 2.0 having a less than zero carbon footprint, the lowest of any wine closure product sold today! Now that we have reinvented our products, we will also step-up our Marketing – stay tuned! It will be exciting!      

Jim Sun:China has become the top five wine producer in 2015. What do you think of China wine market?

Heino Freudenberg:We strongly believe in China as a wine producing country! During my years in China I personally learned about its entrepreneurial spirit and how fast industries can develop here.

As we have observed and supported the rise of e.g. Li-Ning from local manufacturer to a global leading brand, we expect something similar to happen with the Chinese wine industry in the next few years.

Besides the large and successful wine producers like Changyu, COFCO, Weilong, Dynasty, Shangrila or Baiyanghe, who are all treasured customers of Vinventions, we see a new generation of wine makers coming up, who will further stimulate the sense for quality and pride of wine made-in-China. Look for example at Changyu Eidenberg, Shanxi Grace, Ningxia HeDong,  COFCO Sanggan, Helan Jingxue or Rong Zi – just to name a few. Great times are ahead for the Chinese wine industry – regarding both quantitative and qualitative growth!

Jim Sun:Can you give me some ideas about your marketing activities, your strategy on the closure  market, especially in China? When will you launch your new products series in China?

Heino Freudenberg:We will continue to work very closely with our large and well-established customers, but at the same time we will open new doors for the new generations of Nomacorc and Vinventions products: The new Nomacorc products – with enhanced performance, natural look & feel and nature-based raw-materials – will be a great success not only in USA, France and Italy, but also in China. Select Bio 2.0 and recently introduced Classic 2.0 are already available in China. Later this year, we will add “Zest!”, the new sparkling wine closure made from nature-based sugar-cane-polymers, and Select Bio 3.0, the ultimate high-performance closure, for high quality wines designed for very long term bottle aging. In addition, we will offer the luxurious Vinolok glass closures, which allow wineries to reposition selected brands through sophisticated and innovative packaging designs.

Professor Li Demei,Heino Freudenberg and Jim Sun on 2016 Prowein

Jim Sun:Have you tasted some Chinese wines? What do you think of its quality? How do you like the packaging of Chinese wine?

Heino Freudenberg:All our customers make wonderful wines – each targeting specific wine consumers and serving their specific desires. Last time we celebrated in China, we enjoyed a fine Merlot from Chateau Yunmo, followed by an Ice Wine from Chang-yu – both closed with Vinventions closures. Very delightful wines!  

Jim Sun:Thanks for accepting the interview.Hope to see you soon in China!

Heino Freudenberg:Soon,we'll meet in China!