MANCHESTER — Freudenberg North America said its 16 companies will pursue a goal of eliminating manufacturing waste over the next decade.

Parent corporation, Freudenberg and Co., issued the challenge during a recent internal Global Innovation Forum on raw materials and innovation.

“In the past, we have successfully issued challenges to our manufacturing facilities to achieve zero defects and zero accidents,” said Dr. Martin Stark, a member of the Freudenberg and Co. management board. “We are now issuing a challenge to achieve zero manufacturing waste.

“The trends driving our business today mandate this kind of response if we are to maintain long-term growth and profitability,” he said.

All of the companies are engaged in implementing processes and programs that will improve the environmental sustainability of their products and plants, said Leesa Smith, president, Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership, who is based in Manchester.

Among Freudenberg businesses in New Hampshire are Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies and Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies in Manchester, and Kluber Lubrication in Londonderry.