At Walker Rubber, every job comes with unique challenges, but with every one we have the opportunity to instil confidence in our customer base and add another product to our ever-growing portfolio.
In this case study we’ll take a look at how rising to these challenges for a Scottish marine company helped us win them back as a valued customer and one of our proudest achievements.
Who is the customer and what did they require?
Our customer is a marine engineering company that manufactures and installs doors, hatches and enclosures for oil rigs and various watercraft.
They were experiencing issues with their previous supplier, which had increased prices to the point where their products were no longer a viable, cost-effective option.
They came to us in need of fabricated marine hatch seals, made from bonded rubber and sponge. They sent us a sample to work from and we quickly returned a quote.
What solution did Walker Rubber Provide?
Having originally worked with them in previous years, we were delighted to use our expertise in rubber engineering to find a solution to their problem.
Here's how we handled it:
- Material selection: We used neoprene and sponge for this job. Given the marine/saltwater environment these seals would need to withstand, neoprene was the perfect choice with its ability to withstand prolonged exposure to water without degradation to its physical integrity.
- Production: We loaded the profile onto our extruder, carefully creating the rubber extrusions to the required shape and lengths for the seals. After extrusion, we bonded the sponge and neoprene together and clamped them tightly to form the finished rubber seals.
- Quality Assurance: Once extruded and firmly, the seals were inspected to ensure they met the highest standards of durability and performance.
- Delivery: We worked closely with the customer to schedule regular deliveries that suited their production timeline.
Were there any challenges?
One challenge during the manufacturing process was ensuring the neoprene and sponge bonded well despite the cold and wet winter weather, which interfered in the process.
To overcome this, we moved the manufacturing process to a much warmer and drier environment. We maintained the temperature and humidity throughout the bonding process and kept the seals firmly clamped for an extended period to make sure the bonding was successful.
All our products undergo rigorous inspection, and this project was no different - especially because it proved to be more technically challenging than expected.
What was the result?
Our customer was delighted with the result upon receiving their fabricated rubber seals, and have since made three additional orders with us.
This ongoing partnership highlights the value our bespoke manufacturing and problem-solving skills provide to marine engineering businesses in the UK and beyond.
Ready to remedy your rubber supplier challenges?
Having expertise and experience in house, we can accommodate the different degrees of accuracy, materials and processes that each job requires.
If you’re struggling to source a unique rubber component from a supplier, or are looking to explore other cost-effective solutions, discuss your project with our team today.