Pell launches rubber molding company

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. (Jan. 11)—Two rubber molders in Tennessee have been purchased by an industry veteran, moved to Albertville and combined into a new firm, Pell Rubber Co. Joseph Pell, who began his career in the industry as a factory worker in the early 1970s, purchased Phillips Rubber Co. of Lebanon, Tenn., and JADE L.L.C. of Watertown, Tenn., for undisclosed amounts. The acquisition included 20 compression presses, hydraulic equipment, mills, extruders, deflashing equipment and miscellaneous machinery, Pell said. Pell did not buy either building but did get the customer base from each company. He purchased a 4,000-sq.-ft. facility in Albertville and moved the machinery to the site, which took two months to set up. The company was fully operational in the latter part of 2000. The firm processes SBR, nitrile, neoprene, natural rubber, EPDM and silicone. It makes a vast assortment of rubber parts and does rubber-to-metal bonding.