James Dawson aims to grow with new mixer
Comments EmailLINCOLN, England—Fenner P.L.C.'s James Dawson Division is adding a silicone mixer at its Lincoln research and development laboratory in the firm's quest to explore the capabilities of advanced compounds for its products.
The maker of silicone and organic rubber hose said its goal is to bring groundbreaking new offerings to the market with the mixer, the first it has installed at a James Dawson facility, a company spokesman said.
It primarily will be used for research into new ingredients and grades of silicone rubber compound, he said. Financial details were not released.
In addition, Zyg Jablonski has been named the firm's rubber technologist and will lead the exploration and research effort into how compounds the company produces can be improved for use in existing markets and in areas where James Dawson doesn't operate.
“The investment in the new lab mixer—along with the appointment of Zyg as our rubber technologist—is a highly significant one indicative of our fresh approach to R&D,” said Richard Turner, director of technology and innovation. He heads up James Dawson's eight-engineer team that focuses on R&D.
He said the division of Fenner has a number of ideas and avenues it planned to explore during the next three to six months, “and we can't necessarily predict where it will take us, but the aim is to improve the capabilities of advanced compounds for use in engineering applications.”
The addition of the silicone mixer is a big switch from what the company has been doing the last several years, Turner said.
It will allow the firm “to present customers and potential customers with highly effective engineering solutions that they won't know about or have come across elsewhere,” he said.
Lincoln-headquartered James Dawson's R&D operation covers most of the company's business units, “with links to our Shanghai facility where there are a further two people on the technical team,” according to the spokesman.
James Dawson primarily produces advanced silicone, EPDM and other polymeric hose for the truck, bus, diesel engine and construction machinery industries.
The company employs about 300 at its facilities in Lincoln, North America, China and Europe.
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