Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) converters understand the importance of using high quality engineered foams from dedicated suppliers to ensure their products are meeting performance, supply and regulatory compliance standards. In 2020, when a high speed OEM converter in North America reached out to trusted converter and supplier Worldwide Foam seeking a product solution for HVAC sealing gaskets, it was clear only one product would win the bid, Armacell’s Monarch 5031. Worldwide Foam was able to successfully provide competitive pricing to the customer while meeting the demand of a short shipping time frame due to their increased roll length processing and their progressive just-in-time (JIT) inventory stocking procedures.

Time, Speed and Cost Efficiency Count

OEM’s are capable of processing closed-cell EPDM/CR/SBR foam quickly but often they can have difficulty finding a reliable material supplier who can accommodate a quick shipping turnaround within their price requirements. Armed with the knowledge of Armacell’s products and efficient internal inventory processes, Worldwide Foam was secure in knowing they could successfully complete this request which called for approximately 22,000 linear feet of Monarch 5031 foam rolls. Traditionally, the linear footage of a single roll of Monarch is limited by a supplier’s skiving equipment, which is used to convert buns into a custom thickness and continuous roll format for high speed rotary die cutting. Fabricators often have to settle for shorter rolls, which increases material change over times, lowering the production throughput and decreasing the overall efficiency.

These particular rolls were needed within a short one week delivery turn around as they were being converted into HVAC gaskets and installed on a mechanical system in a new 114,000 square foot building being constructed in the Midwest. Understanding that this customer needed efficiency, Worldwide Foam converted Armacell’s Monarch 5031 buns into a 0.125” thickness, 300 linear foot press-ready master roll on one of their F&K loop skiving lines. When compared to other suppliers and their standard 50 foot roll, the material waste on setup is greatly reduced and machine run time is significantly improved. This extended roll length option provided by Worldwide Foam translates to a 10% process capacity improvement over an 8 hour shift. The overall revenue per 8 hour shift and the profit per 1,000 pieces also increased by over 20% due to this format. With these production savings in mind, the OEM converter was able to submit the bid with a more competitive price, securing the project.

Rising Above the Rest

By utilizing the specs and performance of Monarch 5031 coupled with Worldwide Foam’s longer rolls and speed to market, the OEM converter completed their project on time. Monarch 5031 offered the end user piece of mind knowing that it was UL 94 HF-1 listed and spec’d in by many of the major US manufacturers. The performance and workability of the material also played a large role in winning the business as the OEM converter was able to meet the rapid lead time and offer a price reduction over current costs. This was a great win for the converter, Armacell, Worldwide Foam, but most importantly for the end user.

Engineered Foam Solution

Armacell’s innovative elastomeric closed-cell foam solution, Monarch 5031, meets specific design considerations and industry regulations for fabricated products in the OEM market, especially in the automotive and HVAC industries. Our Monarch 5031 closed-cell foam is a blend of EPDM/CR/SBR and is an industry standard. Monarch is spec'd in and meets all the physical property requirements of ASTM D 1056 2A1. It is also UL50E, UL508 and UL48 listed for gaskets and seal inserts and listed on the approved source list of GMW 17408 Class I Type IV (MATSPC).

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