CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.—Two European-based companies are teaming up to form a U.S. firm that will look to become an industry leader in rubber hoses and extruded PTFE products in North America.
The new company officially will start business Jan. 1 as Tudertechnica Fluortubing US L.L.C., and will be headquartered out of Campbellsville, according to a news release from Alex Soeterbroek and Andrea Deregibus, the owners and co-managing directors.
The entity is being formed by Tuder FT US (the U.S. unit of Tubigomma Deregibus s.r.l., which does business as Tudertechnica) and Fluortubing US, the U.S. subsidiary of Fluortubing N.L., based in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Deregibus and Soeterbroek said the aim of the partnership is "to form a unique center of innovation for rubber and silicone hoses and extruded PTFE solutions for all North America."
Tudertechnica Fluortubing US will focus on the innovation of new products to serve the increasing demand in such traditional markets as chemical, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, cosmetic and semiconductors, along with applications in new sectors like hydrogen.
Tudertechnica was established in 1983 in Padua, Italy, by Alfio Derigibus, who was a technical expert of rigid mandrel rubber hoses. He founded Industria Veneta Gomma Colbachini (I.V.G.) in Italy and the I.V.G. Canada plant in Granby, Ontario, which now is owned by Continental A.G.'s ContiTech business.
His son, Andrea Deregibus, is the current CEO, taking over from his father in 1993. His focus has been on product development to ensure the firm's innovations meet the market's most challenging demands. It began a push into North America in 2010 and steadily has grown its presence since on the continent.
