October 16, 2012 – 9:42 am
Flex-a-Seal, with a 26,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Essex Junction, Vermont and a 12,000-square-foot sister facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil, was recently recognized with a 5x5x5 Growth Award by Key Bank and Vermont Business Magazine as one of the fastest-growing manufacturing companies in Vermont. The 5x5x5 Awards, explains Vermont Business Magazine, is a recognition and celebration of those Vermont companies to whom the data points as being one of the five fastest-growing businesses in five categories over the last five years in Vermont. This year, Flex-a-Seal, which manufactures highly engineered mechanical seals for rotating equipment, welded metal bellows, and non-metallic parts for wastewater treatment, took the honors in the manufacturing category.
By manufacturing high quality, precisely engineered, and competitively priced products required by the rotating equipment used by gas and oil refining facilities, food manufacturing plants, and wastewater treatment plants around the world, Flex-a-Seal continues to see demand for its products in global markets grow.
Hank Slauson, president of the Essex Junction-based mechanical seal manufacturer attributes Flex-a-Seal’s impressive growth and expanding global customer base to the quality of its products and nearly 30 years of experience. “Flex- A -Seal is a worldwide manufacturer of mechanical sealing devices and auxiliary equipment for rotating equipment of all makes and models. We have been in business since 1983 and currently employ 80 people in Essex Junction. We have a sister manufacturing plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil with 55 employees. Our facility is state of the art and our products demand we hold tolerances in the millionths of an inch. We attribute our success to the highest quality product being manufactured here in the US at extremely competitive prices with superior design and service capabilities available to any user of rotating equipment. We market our seals primarily through distributors and agents and the final product is used in the oil and gas, power, waste water, chemical, pulp and paper, food processing industries, etc.” Exceptional price, quality, and manufacturing capacity will ensure that the 5x5x5 Award-winning company continues to experience impressive growth for years to come.
October 18, 2011 – 10:17 am
The U.S. Patent Office has granted the Flex-A-Seal patent number US 7,979,986. for a “method of securing a cartridge mechanical face seal to a sleeve.”
The innovative system relocates the drive system outside of the product, isolating it from the wear of tough abrasives.
The Plunger Lock uses a thinner cross-section sleeve with more clearance between the seal OD and the seal chamber bore. The resulting design allows for more liquid around the seal, which effectively provides better face cooling.
The main difference between this spring-loaded plunger design and competing products is that it works in a relatively small area with a very low profile. This design style is unique in the seal industry.
The key advantages are:
- Simple Design
- Low Profile Design – the total height is very small
- Ease of Assembly – the rotor simply slides over the sleeve and locks into place
- Eliminates Face Distortion caused from tightening of set screws in similar designs
- Bi-directional – CW or CCW does not matter.
A Team Effort
Kim Simmons, inventor of the Plunger Lock idea, would like to recognize Kevin Davis along with the entire Flex-A-Seal Engineering team that have assisted in developing this unique, ground breaking “Plunger Lock” design. The dedicated hard work of the Engineering group, along with the rest of the Flex-A-Seal team, all helped to bring this new innovative design to the seal market.
August 8, 2011 – 10:51 am
Repaired Mechanical Seals require a quick turn around and accurate engineering. With the current economic situation, the ability to have Mechanical Seals repaired quickly while maintaining a high level of quality is increasingly important and saves money.
Flex-A-Seal Inc. is happy to announce the addition of Mike Pinckney as our Repair Department Manager. Mike is responsible for ensuring you get an accurate quotation quickly, a professional seal observation and a complete Mechanical Seal failure analysis when required. Most importantly a repaired Mechanical Seal delivered on time at an economical price.
Our Repair business is growing rapidly and Mike is responsible for making this dynamic portion of Flex-A-Seal’s business meet all of our clients Mechanical Seal repair needs.
Remember that Flex-A-Seal’s strength is not only in repairing our Mechanical Seals but also in repairing of our competitors designs and/or replacing these seals with duplicates or an upgraded Flex-A-Seal design. Mike is focused on how best to get your equipment functioning to its maximum capability, we provide you with a better return on your Mechanical Seal investment.
Flex-A-Seal’s Patented Style 85 Split Cartridge Seal 9” I.D. was recently installed at a large power plant in Louisiana. The entire mechanical seal installation, including split adapter plate and bushing, was completed in 21 MINUTES and subsequently performed perfectly. Because the Style 85 Split Cartridge Seal is fully assembled and pressure tested at Flex-A-Seal, sealing integrity is insured completely before being sent to the field, ensuring each installation the highest success rate.
“We have saved hundreds of man hours using Flex-A-Seal’s patented Style 85 Split Cartridge Seal over the years. Installing a mechanical seal of this size in under 21 minutes is unheard of in our industry. The split seal actually performs better than the traditional seals we have purchased from other manufacturers in the past.”
Don H. – Plant Manager, Southeast, U.S.A.
Flex-A-Seal finished a very good year for 2010 with growth outside of North America in sales and in the number of new potential Distributors.
In order to boost the growth of Flex-A-Seal’s export model, with Distributors that grow sales of mechanical seals through more direct communication plus more frequent Flex-A-Seal support visits to their countries, Jose Sorensen joined the company at the beginning of 2011 and reports directly to Hank Slauson, President of Flex-A-Seal.
Jose Sorensen brings a wealth of international business and mechanical seals experience from his Sealol and later John Crane days. With more than 25 years developing and managing sales teams by traveling to or living in four continents during his career – always with industrial markets and direct customer contacts – Jose Sorensen is welcomed to Flex-A-Seal in Vermont as another valuable member of a winning team !!!
November 18, 2010 – 2:49 pm
The NEW Flex-A-Seal CFS/ECON seal is designed for standard ANSI Pumps and manufactured with superior design qualities at an unbeatable price. Hydro balanced and Made in the U.S.A. the NEW CFS/Econ seal is the new industry standard for ANSI replacement seals.
Priced to compete with inferior overseas manufactured seals
- Stationary Welded Metal Bellows design for better alignment:
- Better than rotating seal designs
- Hydraulically Balanced
- Standard as well as Big Bore Available
- 100% made in the USA
- Simple, Solid, Single Cartridge Seal Construction
- No Dynamic Elastomers- Most common failure point with multi-spring pusher seal designs
- Only one “O” ring (Especially economical if perfluoroelastomer required)
- Seal faces positioned near lantern ring connection for enhanced heat dissipation
- Hard Face options available
- Hastelloy C276® Welded Metal Bellows
Contact sales@flexaseal.com for pricing today.
