Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • ITEC
    • International Elastomer Show
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Continental invests in AI company
      Michelin launching ‘eco-responsible' performance tire for sporty EVs
      GM promotes Siemen to lead sustainability; Parker to retire
      Video: Michelin driving for ‘100% sustainable' tires by 2050
    • Michelin launching ‘eco-responsible' performance tire for sporty EVs
      Video: Michelin driving for ‘100% sustainable' tires by 2050
      USTMA: U.S. tire shipments to rebound in 2021
      TIA among associations against increase to minimum wage
    • Continental invests in AI company
      To boost U.S. microchip production, Biden administration must find supply chains weaknesses
      USTMA, NAM among associations backing passage of Equality Act
      ASC seeks presenters for fall convention
    • Sibur set to launch production at new halobutyl rubber facility
      Braskem to invest $61M to expand green ethylene production capacity
      Zeon receives pair of ISO certifications
      Trinseo taps K.D. Feddersen to supply soft-touch elastomers
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Ohio firm focuses on making better masks in U.S.
      U.S. to increase NBR, make gloves using Defense Production Act
      Tire Cologne canceled; rescheduled for 2022
      Tire Technology Expo canceled for 2021
    • GM promotes Siemen to lead sustainability; Parker to retire
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Goodyear promotes Chris Helsel, expanding his global technology, operational role
      Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
    • To boost U.S. microchip production, Biden administration must find supply chains weaknesses
      TIA among associations against increase to minimum wage
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
    • Column: Discussions of race, equality may mean uncomfortable moments
      Column: Business trips possible because of essential workers
      Editorial: Associations see opportunity for progress under new administration
      Editorial: Against a backdrop of turmoil, M&A deals give glimpse of normalcy
    • Studying RPA ASTM methods for detecting compound quality differences
      Damage mechanism in oil and gas formulations during downhole testing
      Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Starrett expands field-of-view for multi-sensor vision system
      New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
      New products: 3M introduces new durable, pliable medical adhesive
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Continental invests in AI company
      Michelin launching ‘eco-responsible' performance tire for sporty EVs
      GM promotes Siemen to lead sustainability; Parker to retire
      Video: Michelin driving for ‘100% sustainable' tires by 2050
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Sri Trang Gloves starts major capacity expansion
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
      Combined Goodyear-Cooper Tire company has tire technology, sustainability edge
      Helixtap launches new digital marketplace for rubber
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The HB Chemical and Ravago Partnership: Taking Customer Service to a New Level
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Labs of the Future: How to Choose a Laboratory Information Management System in 2021
      Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Select™: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2021 International Latex Conference Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
July 30, 2014 02:00 AM

Universal Polymer buys business, to expand plant

Mike McNulty
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Joe Colebank Jr., president and CEO of Universal Polymer.

    MIDDLEFIELD, Ohio—Universal Polymer & Rubber Ltd. is growing again and adding to its capabilities, this time via another acquisition and a plant expansion.

    A custom manufacturer of molded rubber parts, extruded rubber components and extruded plastic products, Universal Polymer has acquired Universal Rubber and Plastics Corp. from Bobbie Tilton and Dave Pape, who have owned URP since 1990.

    Universal intends to broaden the company's product line and add a die-cut operation to its growing business, according to Joe Colebank Jr., president and CEO of the Middlefield-headquartered firm.

    It completed the acquisition of URP July 14.

    Universal Polymer also completed an expansion recently at its Middlefield plant, adding 36,000 square feet to increase the size of the facility to about 125,000 square feet, he said. In addition, it added a salt bath line, consisting of an extruder with a 15-inch wide salt bath for large or wide profile extrusions.

    The expansion gives the company additional warehouse space that can store more than 2,500 pallets, a new 3,000-sq.-ft. climate controlled storage room for raw material with sensitive shelf life, and a 2,000-sq.-ft. die shop to house the firm's wire EDM machine used in-house to produce extrusion dies. Financial details were not disclosed. About 11 employees have been added to the firm's work force because of the expansion.

    With the expansion and the acquisition of URP, “we have almost 150,000 square feet under roof to produce compression, transfer and injected molded products along with salt bath extrusions, microwave extrusions, plastic extrusions and die-cut products,” Colebank said.

    Third acquisition

    Universal Polymer's newest acquisition, its third in the last six years, is a custom rubber products extruder that produces products for the industrial, energy, commercial and other markets.

    URP makes gaskets, bumpers, seals, bushings and shock mounts from natural rubber, silicone, nitrile, polyurethane, butyl, neoprene and other elastomers. It primarily serves the automotive, construction and general industrial sectors.

    Formed in 1980 and based in Tallmadge, Ohio, URP focuses on microwave-cured rubber extrusion and secondary operations, Colebank said, and has a large die-cut business that will broaden Universal Polymer's product line and significantly increase the firm's capacity.

    Adding those capabilities to Universal Polymer's strengths in extrusion, molding, secondary operations and overseas sourcing will benefit customers from both companies, he said, pointing out that merging the firms also will lead to improved service.

    Other than Tilton and Pape, who have left the business, URP's estimated work force of 22 will retain their jobs, giving the company a staff of about 100, according to Colebank.

    He said the company's 38,000-sq.-ft. production plant in Tallmadge will continue operating and provide additional resources to all customers of the two operations.

    Universal Polymer—launched in 1970 under the name Polymer Raymond—and URP excel at their own specific but complementary areas of expertise, and both facilities are staffed by skilled veterans who will share information and best practices with one another, according to Universal Polymer, which is an operating company of private investment firm Cypress Companies in Akron.

    Cypress bought the company in 2002, eight years after Polymer Raymond was merged with another company, and its name was changed to Universal Polymer.

    Prime benefits

    There are other benefits resulting from the merger of the businesses, Universal Polymer said.

    • Both locations complement each other, and each historically has specialized in fast turnaround, high-mix, low-volume production, and they create a level of security for each other that did not exist before.

    • The two facilities include a variety of rubber extrusion, die-cutting and conversion equipment along with secondary machinery, creating the ability to direct production to the most efficient location, providing agility and flexibility in responding to shifts, and meeting the growth in customer demand.

    The acquisition of URP fits into the Universal Polymer's growth plan, Colebank said. The company is intent on growing organically and via acquisitions, he said.

    In July 2012, the company bought Dybrook Products Inc., a custom molder and extruder of rubber or plastic bumpers, gaskets, seals and other products using EPDM, neoprene, silicone, natural rubber and SBR.

    Dybrook has been merged into Universal Polymer's facility in Middlefield, Colebank said.

    The purchase and the decision to move Dybrook to Middlefield led to the firm's decision to expand the plant.

    Universal Polymer also moved production of its Silverline and Silverline Elete Tarp Strap lines from China back to Middlefield, Colebank said.

    He said the company will continue to travel the acquisition trail as a way to expand its operation but did not say if another purchase was imminent.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • ITEC
      • International Elastomer Show
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION