The rubber industry faces many unique challenges today, including material eliminations, capacity constraints, supplier consolidations and rampant inflation.

Just last year, capacities were well above industry demand. But within the last 12 months, sources for nearly every category of ingredient have eliminated grades or reduced capacity. At the same time, feedstocks and energy prices increased.

“There are three times more raw material eliminations and grade consolidation activities today than there were during the energy crisis in the 1970s,” said Earl Haines, Vice President of Technology for Excel Polymers.

Many new customers report they’ve experienced product interruptions or business loss because of these significant problems, which is why they sought out Excel.

Excel Polymers’ knowledgeable team of professionals works to offer solutions to eliminate or minimize these concerns. Our commitment to consistency, product quality and reliability contribute to a successful results-producing relationship between Excel and our customers.

“Excel's more than 4,000 proprietary recipes incorporate NR through fluoroelastomer polymers and utilize the strength of our material buy to assure we’re offering the best in quality, consistency and service,” Haines said. “We offer recipes utilizing assured sources of supply and a consistent product reliability.”

Technologists revise recipes whenever a grade is eliminated. The key to any successful compound is selection of the right polymer, additives and cure system where choices focus on the end application. The product’s performance is tested to define properties of the compound. The design of the compound requires repeatability, ingredient selection, cost effectiveness, performance, mixing/dispersion and capability. Technologists look for outcomes such as scrap reduction, improved process efficiency, better dispersion, and the use of assured supply and reliable raw materials to determine whether the reworked recipe is a success.

As the largest North American producer of custom compounder materials, Excel maintains a strong alliance with preferred materials sources, ensuring reliability with almost no supply interruptions. Excel maintains key suppliers for proprietary recipes enabling them to leverage the buy, maintain consistency, help customers reduce scrap and run the product efficiently in machines. Excel works with the customer to formulate efficient alternatives when a material is no longer available.

Excel’s technologists determine possible solutions for each customer’s unique needs. Deciding which solution will present the best result not only satisfies the customer, but also provides excellent opportunities for Excel and the customer to work together to improve reliability, consistency and product quality.

Our technologists receive calls daily from new customers facing supply issues because suppliers did not notify them of an ingredient elimination. We work with you to identify the right solutions to meet this type of challenge.

“Bring us your problem, and we can help you identify where your current product is vulnerable to a loss of available supply,” Haines said.

© 2004 EXCEL Polymers LLC.