June 25, 2007

Vail Rubber Works Opens News Surface Technology Center

(St. Joseph, Mich.) The surface coating technology that NASA and the U.S. military use to make their landing and steering gears last longer is now available at Vail Rubber Works, Inc.'s new Surface Technology Center.  The 12,000 sq. ft. facility located in St. Joseph, Mich., houses Vail’s thermal spray coating technologies, which can extend part reliability up to four-times longer than chrome plating, metalizing or spray welding.  Its HVOF (High Velocity Oxy-Fuel), combustion powder and combustion wire coating processes restore parts to their original dimensionality as well as improve their anti-skid properties or wear and corrosion resistance.

"We piloted the coating processes for our premium roll journals used in the paper and steel industries," said Vail President William Hanley. "With this new, larger facility we will expand the service to other industry applications. If a part or product needs a longer lasting coating, we can provide it."

Vail's thermal spray coating processes can reduce routine maintenance costs on agricultural equipment and components for power generation, water treatment, pharmaceutical, chemical, machine tool and plastics plants.

"Vail Rubber has serviced American industry for more than 100 years by always looking for ways to improve our customers’ product reliability and cost savings," said Vail’s Joe Fellows. "HVOF thermal spray coatings do just that."

Ralph Burke, the new center's plant manager, and Matt Fleisher, coating technician, analyze which of the more than 300 coating formulations is best suited for each application. "The expanded capability of this new center will allow us faster turnaround to minimize customer downtime," Burke said.

To learn more about the thermal spray coating processes or to tour the new facility, contact Vail Surface Technology Center at 269-408-0092 or visit www.vailrubber.com.

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