The Specialists for Compounds and Molded Parts
Interview with Dries Feys, Sales Manager of Hercorub nv
They are not committed to any specific industry, yet each contract is individual. The production of plastic molded parts and the delivery of compounds is the expertise of the Belgian company Hercorub nv. In this process, the company's experts, based in Lanaken, make sure to deliver the optimal product for each of their approximately 250 regular customers, thus achieving maximum value creation for the client.
"We focus 100% on customer-specific solutions," explains Dries Feys, Sales Manager of Hercorub nv. "This applies equally to molded parts as well as compounds. With compounds, we possess extensive knowledge and supply both multinational companies and smaller firms from the SME sector."
Further arguments for working with Hercorub include the family character of the company and its location in the central production area of Europe. Therefore, our core markets include the Benelux countries, Germany, France, and Central Europe.
400 Compounds
The range of compounds is also impressively large. Hercorub maintains around 400 different specifications, of which 100 to 150 are most commonly used. The basic ingredients of the compound mixtures are polymers, carbon black for black parts, and fillers for colored parts, as well as additives for specific properties. "Depending on the application, factors such as tensile strength, static load, UV resistance, or temperature resistance matter," says the Sales Manager, listing specific requirements. "Our R & D Manager creates new mixes for the customers. Then about 5 kg are produced and tested in practice. In this field, we have extensive know-how."
Wide Range of Products
It is an impressive range – both in terms of variants and sizes – that Hercorub covers with its molded parts. The spectrum ranges from solid rubber molded parts to rubber-metal connections to extruded profiles. Possible products include seals, hoses, parts for shock absorbers, rubber mats for stables, and coverings for car gear shifts. There are 28 automatic and manually controlled injection molding machines and two compression presses available for production.
"Usually, the customer comes to us with a drawing of the desired molded part," explains Dries Feys. "We advise him on what is technically possible and which rubber compound is suitable. For simple parts, we create a mold directly, for more complex shapes a prototype."
Press parts can be up to a meter long, and even larger formats are possible for ready-made articles. Hercorub produces small series of 50 to 100 pieces for molded parts, but also batch sizes in the six-figure range. Rubber profiles in the extrusion process are often produced in small series from 500 m.
Growth Market Germany
The production of bicycle tires more than 100 years ago marks the beginning of Hercorub's history. Since bicycle tires were no longer in demand in the 1980s, the new owners Patrick Lenaerts and Suzy Hermans stopped their production at the time and switched to the current portfolio. 15 years ago, a company was also acquired in the Czech Republic. To this day, the Hermans and Lenaerts families are the owners.
While molded parts and compounds are produced at the headquarters in Lanaken, the ZlÍn location focuses on compounds. 70 employees in Lanaken generate a turnover of 15 million EUR, and there are 15 employees in the Czech Republic. The entire order management is digitized, as well as parts of the production. In terms of sustainability, Hercorub commits itself wherever possible through the use of sustainable raw materials such as recycled rubber or bio-based oils.
Since Germany is the largest market for molded parts and compounds across Europe, the company aims to significantly increase its market share there in the coming years. That is why Hercorub also presents itself at fairs, for example at the Deutsche Kautschuk-Tagung (DKT) in Nuremberg.