DEMM Engineering & Manufacturing
Kiwi icon delivers full range of industrial rubber & plastics solutions
Skellerup Rubber Services (SRS) is a leading manufacturer of high quality industrial rubber products. Based in Auckland, the operation provides a broad range of products for a variety of industrial markets. SRS’s competitive advantage though, is its ability to assist companies in need of product design, tooling manufacture, prototyping, formulation of compounds and part production requirements.
Kent Stansfield, sales manager says, “We’re a one stop shop, offering a range of off the shelf stocked items for generic sales as well as development and “made to order” production capabilities for both the domestic and offshore markets.”
To keep up with customer delivery expectations, SRS has long established supply relationships and works closely with a number of specialty toolmakers. This enables SRS to be responsive in designing, prototyping and production of rubber and plastic parts, while minimising costs.
The development of rubber compounds is also part of the Telarc registered ISO9001 company’s repertoire says Kent: “Our technical expertise and in-house laboratory resources enable us to keep up with everchanging and developing industry standards, compliances and exacting customer requirements. This expertise is enhanced through the shared technical resources of the Skellerup group located in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Asia and Europe.”
The technical resources within SRS are at the heart of compound development from raw ingredients, as well as assisting with quality control through rigorous testing of compounds and finished products. SRS maintains a comprehensive testing laboratory and is able to perform extensive analysis including, identification, physical properties, and chemical and environmental resistance testing, on both rubber compounds and finished products.
The company processes a wide variety of rubber materials and specialises in custom compounding a full range of polymers including natural, synthetics and blends.
“Our onsite technical and engineering teams are available to advise the most appropriate materials for their intended applications and compliance to industry standards,” says Kent. SRS compounds are sold as uncured, calendered sheeting as well as being utilised for their own manufacturing requirements.
Custom moulding is a key area of SRS’s business. The team manufactures an extensive range of standard general mouldings available ex-stock as well offering customised moulding solutions for a wide range of industries and applications. SRS have capability in compression, transfer and injection moulding, as well as rubber bonding to a range of insert materials including plastics and metals. SRS has capability in plastics injection moulding including TPR and TPE through its Product Development Centre located onsite.
SRS are specialists in rubber roller recovering, grinding and grooving services. Tailored compounds are offered to suit most industries including printing, packaging, paper tissue, waste treatment, steel production, and food & beverage including meat & dairy industries. SRS also offer engineered, made-to-order products such as sleeves, wheels, buffers and fenders.
As well as the made-to-order solutions, customers can choose from a comprehensive range of standard and sponge extrusions and sealing strips, matting, O-rings, seals and small to large berth fendering systems including wharf furniture.
The team at SRS know the pressures of competing internationally. “As a local manufacturer and exporter, we understand the challenges our customers face within a globally competitive marketplace. Whilst most of what we sell is manufactured onsite, larger volume production runs that can benefit from differently geared production models are produced by our offshore partners, to our specifications, and often from tooling designed and made here in New Zealand,” says Kent.
In late 2013, SRS took delivery of a new 350 tonne compression moulding press. The new press is fully automated and utilises vacuum technology to reduce wastage and improve product quality. “Re-investing in engineering capability is a key business strategy to maintain business growth and technical advancement,” adds Kent.