Trelleborg seals its position as aerospace leader with acquisition

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, one of two major business segments for Sweden's Trelleborg A.B., has finalized the acquisition of 4M Co. Inc., a manufacturer of aerospace components.

Terms of the transaction, which closed June 30, were not disclosed. The privately owned 4M sees annual sales of nearly $8 million per year, according to Trelleborg.

"Trelleborg Group is focusing on fast-growing industries such as aerospace, and this acquisition is a good fit to our existing offerings," said Gregory Jones, vice president of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Aerospace Americas.

Trelleborg on March 22 agreed to purchase Tukwila, Wash.-based 4M, an aerospace seal manufacturer in the same state that claims Boeing and hundreds of ancillary aviation and aerospace companies.

4M is the parent company to subsidiaries Rainier Rubber Co., Porter Seal and Meyer's Leasing Co., all of which are located immediately south of Seattle.

The bolt-on acquisition is part of Trelleborg's strategy to strengthen its positions in attractive industries.

"We are experiencing strong demand for aerospace seals with a continued positive trend for several years to come," Peter Hahn, president of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, said in an email to Rubber News. "The acquisition means we can increase our capacity to produce elastomers, used in various aerospace seals, and enables us to broaden our product range of, for example, conductive seals."

The acquisition will make Trelleborg the largest manufacturer of aircraft window seals globally, and expands Trelleborg's global portfolio of elastomer materials and approvals, Jones told Rubber News.

With its home office and manufacturing facility in Tukwila, the company has approximately 35,000 square feet of warehouse and manufacturing space, and employs about 60 people.

Ultimately the aerospace seal branding will transition to Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Aerospace.

For its part, Trelleborg designs and manufactures seals for a range of aerospace functions, including flight controls, actuators, landing gear, wheels, brakes, fuel control, safety systems and airframe applications.

"The vast majority of 4M's business is manufacturing elastomer aerospace components, particularly window seals," Jones said. "This will further our penetration into the U.S. aerospace market, enhancing our manufacturing capacity and simplifying supply chains in the Americas."

Trelleborg A.B. acquired Minnesota Rubber and Plastics in 2022 for $900 million its Trelleborg Healthcare and Medical division.

"Trelleborg will accelerate growth in attractive industries and niches, and we will continue to acquire companies that offer major synergies, in addition to invest in our existing operations," Jones said.

Trelleborg Group reported a "record year" in 2022, helped by a strong business performance in the final quarter.

Group sales rose 27 percent year-on-year to about $2.97 billion, including a 35-percent jump in the final quarter of 2022, Trelleborg said Jan. 27, 2023, in its year-end results.

Full-year earnings were up 30 percent at nearly $495 million, corresponding to an earnings margin of 16.8 percent, up from 16.4 percent reported in 2021.

With a presence in 40 countries, Trelleborg Group comprises Trelleborg Industrial Solutions and Trelleborg Sealing Solutions.

Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. purchased Trelleborg Wheel Systems for $2.3 billion, a deal that was finalized this past March.