Trelleborg sealing buys 4M, increases share of aerospace market

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Trelleborg Sealing Solutions could do worse than landing in Washington with its latest aerospace acquisition.

Trelleborg A.B. agreed to purchase 4M Co. Inc. March 22, 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 in Tukwila, Wash., which sits immediately south of Seattle.

"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.

Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter of this year, were not disclosed.

4M had sales of about $8.23 million in 2022, according to Trelleborg.

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 said.

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.

4M will be a bolt-on acquisition, Jones told Rubber News, and ultimately the branding will transition to Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Aerospace.

Trelleborg designs and manufactures seals for a range of aerospace functions, including flight controls, actuators, landing gear, wheel, 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 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 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.

"We are experiencing strong demand for aerospace seals with a continued positive trend for several years to come," said Peter Hahn, president of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. "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."

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

With the latter business segment, Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. now has all the regulatory approvals it needs to finalize its purchase of the segment.

Early on March 28, the United Kingdom's Competition and Market Authority gave the $2.3 billion deal its stamp of approval. The CMA approval was the last the two companies need to proceed with the sale, and it came just days after the European Commission cleared the transaction.