Plastic Netting protects packaged product and WIP in transit.

Life in the fast lane can be a pretty rough ride for your goods in transit.

Finished effectively and protected en route, the same QC stamp of approval will apply to goods reaching your customers as proudly as it did when leaving your work – and this is where S&R can help.

[Click on any of the images below to find out more of the many options available from S&R]

Sinclair & Rush’s remit is to manufacture and supply products that Protect, Package and Finish our customers’ wide ranging materials, products and work in progress. This week we are spotlighting two product ranges that do just that:

Plastic and Rubber Edging protects and finishes sharp, fragile, brittle edges.

Plastic Netting protects packaged product and WIP in transit.

Edgings strips have a huge range of applications and, as such, are available in an equally huge variety of materials, strengths and formats.

The simplest is the standard plastic edge which protects sharp and vulnerable edges. It is durable and flexible enough to clip over irregular shapes. These strips are available in 10, 25 and 50 metre lengths which you simply cut to size and apply.

Heavier duty edging strips offer extra protection & durability to provide a neat and safe finish to sharp or brittle edges. These too are available in handy 10, 25 and 50 metre lengths.

Foam edging strips or Edge protectors are prized by the transport industry for protecting products and goods during transportation. As well as being excellent for shipping protection, the foam edge can be used to protect any number of corners and crevices. The edge protector can be used for carrying sheet metal or glass, table tops, protect desk edges, painting protection, fragile goods, MDF, general edge protection etc.

Impact protection profiles provide both a visual warning and a safety cushioning. They protect corners, protruding edges and goods in warehouses, production areas etc. These high quality foam edging protectors are fitted with a self adhesive strip for easy installation to a smooth, dust and grease free surface and are manufactured in flexible age-resistant polyurethane foam.

Protective Netting is as flexible and practical as it sounds.

It comes in ‘long’ tubes of netting and a variety of strengths. There is also a ‘high stretch’ format that fits easily around irregular shapes. So there is something for every application.

To minimises surface scratching, scuffing & indentations, plastic netting is the perfect solution. It can be cut to your exact size or supplied in longer lengths on reels, so that you pull and cut the length you need for the job at hand. It reduces packaging & shipping costs and is available in low minimum order quantities.

Pallet Netting is increasingly popular. It creates friction to help hold loads in place providing an additional protective layer when shipping that neither rots nor rusts.

As we said though – the applications are so varied and the products to Protect, Package and Finish so broad that the best way to find out more is to call our experts on 01634 686 504 or to look at the range and shop on-line here.

 01634 686 504

When is a grip not a grip? … When it’s a sleeve of course.

What’s in a sleeve – well the answer is just about anything you can imagine.

Plastic, foam and rubber sleeves are the most versatile of all the products we manufacture and stock at Sinclair & Rush. From decorative leverage, branded finishing, colour coded identification, insulated protection to quick fix solutions, plastic sleeves can be adapted to suit  a huge range of applications.

The process for manufacturing sleeves varies according to the type of sleeve we’re making. They can be either dip moulded or extrusion moulded. Dip moulding usually means the sleeve is closed at one end. But our extrusion moulded range creates what is effectively a long tube open at both ends.

Sleeves open at both ends, whether they are square, rectangular or round, can be manufactured and supplied to the specific length of your application or you can buy longer sleeves and cut them to size – perfect for flexible, cost-effective finishing and protection.

In the construction industry, plastic sleeves are used to cap reinforcement bars and wires in cement. They insulate the metal and stop it expanding as often happens causing the concrete to fracture.

What do you use your sleeves for? (...and please don't say arms!)

The colour selections are almost as broad as the applications – ideal for colour coding, brand alignment, or simply ‘groovy aesthetics! Branding, instructions, warnings etc can also be printed on your sleeves, creating the perfect finish for valve levers or tool handles.

I called 01634 586 504 and asked one of our busy sales team to summarise the key points regarding the square sleeves (above) and Allan said:

" Sleeves such as these are available in either a gloss and smooth finish or a textured and rough finish. The materials available are plastic and a rubber type, or material made from a rubberised plastic. As the sleeves are the interface between the user and your product, it is essential to have a good quality grip in the most suitable material. Rubber provides some vibration reduction and a foam alternative can be used to further reduce vibration transmitted from the product to the user. These sleeves provide an excellent way to finish off a tube, bar or handle and also provide a good feel for the user of your product.

Would you like me to send you some FREE samples? "

Take a look on-line by clicking on the Shop Now image below or call us on 01634 686 504.

01634 686 504

New extrusion moulding line for S&R

VisiPak is a global brand from Sinclair & Rush that is fast becoming synonymous with commercial packaging for industrial safe storage and retail point of sale display.

Extrusion moulded plastic tubes are at the core of the VisiiPak range. Now, we are in the process of installing our own extrusion moulding line at our Rochester plant in Kent.

James Gardner has been over to our factory in China to inspect the line prior to it being shipped to Kent. Now he and a colleague are visiting our parent company in America on an intensive ‘all you need to know about running an extrusion moulding line but were too afraid to ask’ course.

This is a video of the plant inspection in China:

How does extrusion moulding work? An extruder consists of a hopper for feeding in the raw materials. It has a heating section where the materials are melted into the desired consistency and a section for transferring the melted solution through a die after which it is cooled to create the finished product. Each section can be manipulated by many variables to create different thicknesses and finishes of the plastic product.

How does one process create so many different end products? This is all down to the design of the die. The different dies create the different sizes, shapes, thicknesses and finishes, tailoring the materials to the application and spec. One machine can easily be used for different products by swapping the die.

So, from April we’ll be manufacturing the tube range ourselves, creating even better value for customers – like you.

Stop Press - but that's not all. Hot off the American press is more news of S&R's continued extension of VisiPak production :

Sinclair & Rush, Inc., through its VisiPak division, has successfully completed the acquisition of the assets of Tulox Plastics Corporation of Marion, Indiana, a manufacturer of clear plastic packaging containers. The move by VisiPak, a leading manufacturer of clear packaging products, expands the current line of plastic tube containers to include additional shapes, sizes and closure styles. Production from the Indiana facility will be relocated to the VisiPak manufacturing locations in St. Louis, MO, and Carlstadt, NJ, to more closely service the needs of customers.

“This acquisition correlates directly with our long-term strategies regarding increased product offerings and market reach,” said Brad Philip, President and COO of Sinclair & Rush, Inc. Mr. Philip continued, “The synergies created allow us to offer the broadest line of packaging products and related services, from concept to completion, of anyone in the industry.”

We offer a comprehensive line of clear plastic packaging tubes, tubular containers and creased ‘pop-up’ boxes together with probably the largest line of cap & plug options. This all combines to provide packaging solutions for a diverse range of applications.

Packaging tubes range from Permaseal sealed bottom containers to heavy-duty industrial packaging. Our stock line of clear plastic tubes is unrivalled in the industry in terms of quality, price, and selection. Plus, as the largest manufacturer of vinyl tube caps in the world, VisiPak gives you the broadest selection of caps to hang, flip, shake and seal - all at unbeatable prices.

Such clear plastic containers are suitable for packaging toys, cutting tools, posters, welding rods, cosmetics, bath salts, beads, and virtually anything else you can imagine.

They are ideal for keeping items safe in storage or by post and perfect for point of sale (POS) display.

Production of transparent boxes is made to order.  These clear folding cartons are available in a variety of shapes and styles including sleeves to protect the package and inserts to separate contents inside the box. Choose from a number of materials and decorating options to meet your specific needs.

All products use our proprietary creasing technology to ensure an easy fold and can be made in a variety of shapes and styles. The boxes are delivered and stored flat and simply ‘pop-up’ to insert your product.

Full colour printing and other decorative applications are also available.

One of the primary benefits of using VisiPak clear boxes is that branding, graphics, contents and directions can be applied directly to the box, eliminating the need for labels or header cards.  Boxes are typically printed on the inside to protect graphics during transit and storage.

Don’t risk your products getting damaged by soggy cardboard packaging, or your brand and instructions fade to illegibility in sun damaged and scuffed containers. It really is time to consider an alternative and VisiPak is it. Ask for advice by calling the number below, left, or shop on-line through the website below.  

The future is clear, the future is VisiPak.

Take a look on-line by clicking on the Shop Now image below or call us on 01634 686 504.

01634 686 504

Keeping it together with S&R

Before I became part of ‘Team S&R’, I thought that a nut was a nut and a bolt was a bolt. I also thought they were all made of some form of alloy, stainless steal for example. But then I wondered why – even on the simplest ‘engineering’ application (my bike) I was forever having to tighten them up as they rattled their way free, a task which became harder as the rust set in.

To the uninitiated, the selection of bolts, nuts, washers and spacers as part of the design spec of a prototype or maintenance of existing products should be a simple task. In real terms however it’s trickier by far, needing careful consideration of temperatures, corrosion, vibration, fatigue and many other vital factors.

Because Sinclair & Rush ‘think plastic’ – the solution was clear: Nylon (or plastic) bolts, nuts, washers and spacers are all held here in stock ready for next day delivery.

Nylon fasteners are favoured especially in such applications, where the properties of their material, i.e. electrical insulation, corrosion resistance, lightweight, wear resistance and colour matching are of greater importance than high tensile holding strength.

Nylon washers have the following benefits: anti-magnetic, mechanical stability, vibration-resistant, non-sparking, non-aging, weather resistant, tasteless, non-toxic, non-corrosive, etc. These washers can handle temperatures up to 200°F, and they can be used in a wide range of applications, including: oil refineries, chemical industry, etc.

Light in weight, one of their primary uses includes electrical and thermal insulation, which makes them ideal for the electronics industry. They are also very cost effective compared with stainless steal screws when used in corrosive environments or where acids are present.

Other Applications of nylon screws and nuts include the electronics, marine, medical and food industries, along with the use of nylon screws and nuts in the manufacture of magnetic equipment and chemical equipment.

You’ll find a wide range of plastic fastening solutions right here at Sinclair & Rush – here’s a cross section: Hex head screws, grub screws, flat slotted, pan slotted, flat Phillips, pan Phillips, oval, fillister and cheese screws. Wing nuts, Deco locking wing nuts, Deco wing nuts. Hex nuts, locking cap nuts, threaded nut caps, nylon self locking and cap nuts. Washers, spacers and bushes … all Nylon.

In short: Nylon fasteners can reduce the weight, cost and assembling complexities of your products. We summarise their advantages thus: 

• Nylon screws and nuts are non corrosive
• Lightweight nylon screws and nuts
• Good electrical insulation
• Nylon screws and nuts are cost effective
• High thermal insulation
• Chemical resistant

Take a look on-line HERE  or call us on 01634 686 504

01634 686 504

Handgrips come in all shapes, sizes, textures and colours.

Some background to the resources now available from S&R, manufacturing and stocking handgrips in Kent for OEMs in UK and Europe:

It was mid-2012 that Sinclair & Rush inc added to the already extensive range of grips and grip prototypes available from the group by acquiring Hunt-Wilde, whose pioneering tooling and design innovations began in 1946 when they started manufacturing injection moulded parts, primarily for cycle handlebar grips.

As US bicycle manufacturing moved offshore, Hunt-Wilde grew the capacity for further diversification into other markets – lawn & garden; sports & leisure; industrial tooling; medical and general engineering. HW created the facilities and technology to service ‘mass customisation’. Now, this tooling, methodology and product range sit alongside the technologies and skills of Sinclair & Rush’s own 60 years of experience.

So what does that mean for you:

If you are an OEM and the right grip is important to you, you will be pleased to know that all matters 'grip' well and truly in hand. 

Tools are not only made stronger by the addition of creatively designed user friendly plastic grips, but branding and other corporate personalisation can be added. Each grip has a practical as well as aesthetic and ergonomic quality to add value to any OEM application. And those applications are about as varied as the range ... we have the Straight Grip; the Classic Finger Grip; the Rib-Finned Grip; then there’s the Honeycomb Grip; and last but not least, the Flanged Tapered Grip.

As you reach for your pliers, do you ever wonder at the global resources that have combined to create the branded plastic grips on the handles – well of course not …

…but if you are a hand tools manufacturer or OEM in that industry, then finding the most cost-effective means, source and logistics for finishing and differentiating the grips and handles on your products over the competitions’ is a year round task.

Obviously Sinclair & Rush can help by manufacturing grips to your individual specifications – right here in Kent. You can source the grip solutions you need from the massive range we manufacture and hold in stock – or you can specify bespoke grips for special applications which we will manufacture to order.

Whether you are designing a sophisticated piece of fitness equipment or simple garden tool, one factor remains the same ... the hand grip you choose is the main point of contact between your product and your customer.

Be innovative in your grip designs to help ensure that this contact is a positive one.

After all - in this business they really do have your future in the palms of their hands.

Call us today for advice, to order or simply to request your FREE sample bag: 01634 686 504.

Or click on the Shop Now button below to shop on-line now:

01634 686 504

A history of ‘Thinking Plastic’ - Caps

StockCap is the global division of Sinclair & Rush specialising in dip and extrusion moulding caps and plugs and fully operative for both short and long run manufacture here in Kent.

The StockCap selection of vinyl products is extensive and economical. These products are used for applications ranging from high-temperature masking to decoration while ensuring low cost and a high rate of satisfaction. They are used to keep open ports free of contaminants; to protect delicate threads; and to finish product by covering rough edges, exposed bolts and pipe ends for protection and safety during shipping and storage.

With caps and plugs in a variety of styles, colours, and sizes, StockCap from Sinclair & Rush offers an affordable solution for your product protection needs.

A history of ‘Thinking Plastic’ - Caps

With over 60 pioneering years in the field of dip moulding, StockCap is proud to have contributed so greatly to the evolution of this unique manufacturing process. Originally used in the art of candle making, dip moulding has grown into a high-tech manufacturing method that competes head to head with other plastic and rubber moulding processes.

Injection moulded parts are often the best choice for complex, high volume products that require tight tolerances. The process involves injecting plastic raw material at high pressure into a cavity that is designed to replicate the shape of the finished product.

What is ‘dip moulding’?

In its basic form, dip moulding involves the heating of a metal mould with the internal dimensions of the desired part. These heated moulds are then immersed or "dipped" in a tank of liquid plastisol (PVC). The heat from the mould attracts the cool plastisol and the part is formed. The moulds are extracted from the liquid and heat cured. After the parts are cured, they are cooled, stripped from the moulds, and packed for shipment or secondary operation.

Benefits of Dip Moulded Caps:

Caps of varying lengths can be made with no tooling charge.

Vinyl material stretches to fit odd shapes and easily conforms to beaded or flared tubes.

Vinyl material will not crack or split like Low Density Polyethylene.

Vinyl material does not shred when capping or plugging threaded items.

Perfect for high temp applications:

Vinyl Caps are resistant to +220˚C for short periods of time, making them ideal for use on powder coating & paint spraying where the application of heat is involved. The flexibility of the vinyl material makes it easy to fit irregular tubular shapes. They are quick to apply and easy to remove – even from those awkward places. If it is a particularly difficult spot you need to protect, try using our Grab Tab Caps (left & right above).

What is the best way to measure the cap spec.?

James from Component Force – our component stock and distribution division, will explain how to measure your tube for cap fitting if you click the video link:

The types of Caps that we can supply, many in stock ready for next day delivery, include: Plastic Caps, Vinyl Caps, Rubber Caps, Round Caps, Nut Caps, Square Caps, Rectangular Caps, Flanged Safety Caps, Threaded Caps, Grab Tab Caps, Pull Tab Caps, I-Beam Caps, Stud Protection Caps, EPDM Rubber Caps, Silicone Rubber Caps, USB Caps, Heat Shrink Caps, High Temperature Caps, Hanger Caps, Flange Covers, Angle Caps, Hexagonal Caps, Custom Caps and many more.

Find out more about StockCap caps and plugs by reading our on-line flip-book – click here.

Call us today for advice, to order or simply to request your FREE sample bag: 01634 686 504.

Or click on the Shop Now button below to shop on-line now:

01634 686 504

Customer love and the service ethos.

As you know, you can source products and components from the many thousand of items we hold in stock, many for next day delivery.

We have, probably, the biggest single source of Protection, Packaging and Finishing products in Europe, offering specialist plastics manufacturing operations supply OEMs and distributors with dip and injection moulded plastic, rubber & nylon caps, plugs, sleeves and hand grips from stock and engineered to bespoke order.  We also stock and supply clear plastic boxes, clamshells and tubes for packaging; and huge varieties of tube inserts, feet, castors, wheels, hinges, fastenings, locks and latches for finishing.

But our passion for what we have and who we serve doesn't end there.

Our strength has always been the ability to produce customised product protection solutions for customers. Our experienced engineers create a product designed specifically for customer needs, using cutting edge software and machinery to protect valuable components for OEM end use. Our skills are even called upon as part of prototype design and modelling to ensure that masking and plugging supports engineering efficiency throughout component life.

It may just be a plastic wiring sleeve to some people, but to Sinclair & Rush it’s the wiring sleeve for a part of a component that becomes part of yet another unit that may, in turn, contribute to the hydraulics of the tooling element of a manufacturing process – whatever it is, we are always proud to have done our bit. 

We just love it...

If you have:

• a tube that needs a liner;
• a chair leg that needs a lovely new foot;
• two components that need a hinge;
• garden tools you manufacture that need grips to enhance the product and show off the brand;
• or if you are a global engine manufacturer needing to plug and protect vital components from invasive swarf, powder coating or heat treatment;
• a distributor wanting bold branding and clear instructions on plastic point of sale packaging;
• an engineering company needing bespoke plastic dip moulded caps, sleeves or plugs …

 …then just call us and see what we can do to help.

The more we are able to listen to customers and understand the applications to which our plastic products are used, the better we can fit our solutions and service levels to the need. That’s why our Customer Services and Sales departments work so closely together, to make Sinclair & Rush customers as happy as they clearly are.

When you phone with a masking query and need advice about protecting crucial components as they pass through an invasive finishing process – it really does make a difference to hear clear expertise as the solutions are explained, topped with our friendly professionalism as you are guided through the options available from Sinclair & Rush.

But service doesn't stop with the solution and sale. The dip moulded caps, plugs, sleeves; and clear plastic display boxes, clamshells and tubing; or customised, branded tool grips – none of these actually make a difference to your business until we have delivered them to you, on time and to the specifications you expected and anticipated.

That’s what our customers need – so that’s what they get.

For our lovely Customer Services call   01622 693 200

For our lovely Sales team call   01634 686 504

To shop on-line – just click the 'Shop Now' image below:

Quality masking for a quality finish

In the industrial finishing process, what you don’t paint is as important as what you do paint. 

Threads, studs and crucial surface areas need to be effectively masked. That masking needs to be suitable for low to high pressure treatments as well as high temperature environments such as powder and E-coating finishes.

The cost implications of leaks, cracks and other failures can be catastrophic. Taping can be time consuming both to apply and remove and ineffective on repeat processes.

All of which is why we have become one of the largest global manufacturers and suppliers of plastic and rubber masking caps, plugs and sleeves.

Choose from a wide variety of standard caps, plugs and custom shapes, all of which are available in materials and lengths to suit your application. Many sizes are held in stock. But we also specialise in medium to high run bespoke manufacturing in house, designed to your specifications.

Sizes, shapes and materials vary according to the application – so don’t try to fit a round peg into a square hole … literally.

Flexible Short Caps, for instance, can be applied quickly and easily. No matter what the application, they fit snugly without cracking or splitting. Short Caps also possess excellent insulation qualities and resist weather, moisture and chemicals.

Applications include:

• Thread Protectors
• Masks (for painting, plating, powder coating, shot blasting)
• Insulators
• Decorators
• Seals
• colour Coding

Plugs are designed to provide tight seals for threaded and non-threaded through holes. Silicone plugs will resist temperatures up to 600°F (316°C) and are specifically designed for powder coating and E-coating applications.

The tapered plug design of these plugs allows one size to fit multiple ports while the soft rubber material conforms to provide a tight seal. EPDM plugs are ideal for most plating and anodizing applications due to their excellent resistance to chemicals.

Using the right caps or plugs for the right job is essential.

It is important to fully understand the customers’ needs in order to suggest the most appropriate and cost effective solutions. If, for some reason, we can’t visit the site, then photographs and technical drawings of the component and the areas that need protecting do help our own engineers to plan, structure and cost our proposals.
 

What are we protecting the crucial parts from? What are we keeping out and what are we keeping in? What temperatures and materials are the parts going to be exposed to during the rigorous finishing stages of their life?

We have many 'off-the-shelf' solutions in the form of caps and plugs such as the plastic plugs on the engine mounting (above) protecting the threads from abrasive dirt ingress. However, with some lateral thought from our custom moulding engineering department, instead of applying five plugs before steam cleaning the unit, the fast application and removal of a multiple plug speeds the process up enormously (below).

This plastic diaphragm has been designed to protect the engine module as it is shipped from a manufacturer in the UK to an OME in China where it will become part of a mobile power unit. We really can’t stress enough how important it is for our customers to fully involve our sales engineers at the planning and design stage...

… A combined cap / plug diaphragm like this is clearly not an off-the-shelf product, but the result of combined, creative, engineering skill to create a solution that has become integral in an extended and global manufacturing process.

Whether you simply want a low order quantity of flexible caps from stock, or have a bespoke application that needs a cost-effective solution, just pick up the phone and we'll be pleased to help.

Call now for expert advice on 01634 686 504 or take a look and buy on-line through the Shop Now button below:

 01634 686 504

How extrusion moulding creates clear solutions for packaging and display

We thought today we’d take a few moments to explain the benefits of VisiPak, which is a division of Sinclair & Rush.

The manufacturing of clear plastic tubing, boxes and clamshells has been taken to an art form by our parent company in the States who have pushed extrusion moulding to its limits. We will also be adding this manufacturing method to our existing Dip Moulding and Injection Moulding operations in Kent.

How does extrusion moulding work? An extruder consists of a hopper for feeding in the raw materials. It has a heating section where the materials are melted into the desired consistency and a section for transferring the melted solution through a die after which it is cooled to create the finished product. Each section can be manipulated by many variables to create different thicknesses and finishes of the plastic product.

How does one process create so many different end products? This is all down to the design of the die. The different dies create the different sizes, shapes, thicknesses and finishes, tailoring the materials to the application and spec. One machine can easily be used for different products by swapping the die.

S&R have an extensive line of clear plastic packaging tubes and tubular containers together with probably the largest line of cap & plug options.

Packaging tubes range from sealed bottom containers (Permaseal - see image below) to hanging tubes to heavy-duty industrial packages while our stock line of clear plastic mailing tubes is unrivaled in the industry in terms of quality, price, and selection. Plus, as the largest manufacturer of vinyl tube caps in the world, VisiPak gives you the broadest selection of caps at unbeatable prices.

These are suitable for packaging toys, cutting tools, posters, welding rods, cosmetics, bath salts, beads, and virtually anything else you can imagine. Ideal for keeping items safe in storage or by post and perfect for point of sale (POS) display.

A benefit of thermoformed packaging is being able to shape a package to your product.  Visipak produces clamshells, blisters and trays to protect and display your products.  With extensive design flexibility and our low-cost tooling thermoformed packages are an ideal fit for many applications.

Production of transparent boxes is made to order.   These clear folding cartons are available in a variety of shapes and styles including sleeves to protect a package and inserts to separate contents inside the box.  You'll choose from a number of materials and decorating options to meet your specific needs.

Clear plastic boxes, tubes and clamshells for packaging, protection and display - what will you use yours for...

Call now for expert advice on 01634 686 504 or take a look and buy on-line HERE

01634 686 504