COMPRESSION MOLDING HELPED MOVE THE MERCHANDISE
CHALLENGE
Luxme International manufactures conveyor equipment and other solids handling systems, key pieces in moving material in the manufacturing, mining, chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries. The Montreal-based company first called on Global Polymer 14 years ago in search of a manufacturer who used compression molding. They needed a way to make a chain conveyor safe for food handling.
“We made our own prototype, struggling in our own way,” said Luxme president Navam Jagan. But it worked. Well. Soon there was a high demand in the industry – and copycats to compete with.
SOLUTION
Global Polymer created discs with UHMW molded onto the chain. There is no exposed hardware – a requirement for food handling – and only the paddle-like discs ever touch the food.
“We went in search of a company to commercialize that particular design,” Jagan said. “And that is how Global Polymer came into the picture. The experience has been excellent. They are a working partner. They work with us, not only producing these parts for commercial use, but also in recent years we have been working with them as a partner developing new product lines. When I say new product lines, I mean using UHMW. We have gone into other areas using the application because there is such a great demand.”
RESULT
Luxme and Global Polymer are developing discs for conveyors in a wider range of shapes and sizes. They’re also developing UHMW parts for high temperature applications and working on making metal detectable parts – the better to find and remove any loose screws or other metal pieces that could be accidentally introduced in food handling conveyors – by embedding magnets inside UHMW.
That first prototype they made 14 years ago using UHMW is still going strong. Luxme’s partnership with Global Polymer has expanded their capabilities, and their business, over the years.