Bellofram Silicones brings skiving in-house

Newell, WV – Bellofram Silicones has made a capital investment in a new Fecken-Kirfel skiver, an acquisition that immediately slashes lead times for key products to converters to one week or less.

Global supply chain issues have dominated the news in the era of COVID-19, along with resulting delays in delivery of product, but Bellofram Silicones, a member of Marsh Bellofram’s Elastomers Division, had kept lead times to an already manageable five to six weeks. The acquisition of the skiver further changes the game.

Bellofram Silicones has managed to stay ahead of the curve by relying on its own global network for material and due to its established practice of always compounding raw materials in-house. Now, with the new skiving capabilities also in-house, converters will experience even greater expedition of their orders.

Matt Wingertsahn, general manager of the Elastomers Division, says sheets skived from buns can be supplied from 0.063” to 2.00” thickness, or buns can be skived into sheets using a customer’s own equipment. There are four available ASTM-D-1056 hardness versions of the standard sheet, including one with enhanced fire-retardant additives necessary to meet UL94 V-0 specifications, and a second version with fluorosilicone sponge properties, meeting the requirements of AMS 3323.

“With these and other available options, Bellofram Silicones’ sheets cover a wide range of demanding physical, temperature, and chemical environments,” said Wingertsahn.

The new in-house skiving capability not only allows Bellofram to better serve its existing converter customers, but well positions it to grow market share in supplying additional converters with product. It also opens the door to a new revenue stream for Bellofram in performing toll work, skiving product for other companies.

The new skiver is online now and Bellofram is already using it to fulfill orders.