Elastomer 101

What is a Thermoplastic Elastomer? Thermoplastic elastomers are a relatively new polymer material, first made commercially available in the 1960s. Many consider TPE the best of both worlds, combining the desirable performance properties of rubber with the excellent...

The Elastomer Industry in 2022 & Beyond Throughout the first two decades of the twenty-first century, the rubber industry underwent massive changes and experienced incredible innovation. As the elastomer market enters its next chapter, global initiatives and new...

The rubber industry has an exciting and dynamic history. Academic records of rubber date back to the 1700s. The world history of rubber dates back thousands of years, when indigenous cultures first began using natural latex from the Hevea tree. Since 2000, rubber...

Demand for Medical Elastomers Increase Growth in Medical Elastomer Market Elastomer materials offer a variety of valuable physical and performance properties that are especially desirable in medical applications. Elastomers have excellent sterilization properties,...

PVC Benefits & Uses Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is an excellent choice for medical and surgical tubing. PVC is strong, stable, flexible, and safe for medical use. PVC Compound Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was first discovered as a thick, stiff material, like the PVC...

Polyisoprene is an elastomer material that is widely used in a variety of industries. Synthetic polyisoprene is produced with a synthetic version of the primary chemical constituent of natural rubber latex. It is then compounded to mimic many of the properties of...

Latex vs Silicone Tubing Many industries have battled ongoing supply chain disruptions and supply shortages since early 2020. Silicone costs have risen dramatically, with price surges up 300%, and will likely continue to fluctuate, making it more expensive than ever...

Rubber Tubing Rubber tubing works behind the scenes in a wide range of industries. We rely on tubing during so many of life’s moments, from family bonding at the big game to important doctor’s visits. Durable, reliable tubing keeps your operation running smoothly so...

5 Types of Thermoplastic Elastomer Thermoplastic elastomers, or TPE, can be seen as a sort of bridge between plastics and rubbers, combining the best characteristics of both: the look, feel, and elasticity of conventional thermoset rubber, and the fast, efficient...

Every day we’re surrounded by products composed of rubber, natural rubber, and natural rubber latex. In fact, these compounds are so common that, at first glance, you may not know exactly what they are. Let's take a moment to talk about what nuances make these...

Dip Molding Materials Dip products can be manufactured from a variety of latex and non-latex compounds. These compounds include natural rubber latex, neoprene, and synthetic polyisoprene. Each of these dip molding materials has its individual benefits and...

Rubber Compound Manufacturing A rubber compound is a mixture made from one or more base polymers, fillers, and other chemicals. The result is a finished rubber material. Rubber compounds can be formulated to address a number of concerns and necessary strengths for the...

Rubber Manufacturing Humans have been creating and using rubber since as early as 1600 BC. Early indigenous Mesoamerican communities used rubber balls made from stabilized rubber for sports. This strong, stable rubber was also used for waterproofing, containers, and...

What is Polyisoprene? As a synthetic polymer, polyisoprene is an artificial latex that is compounded to mirror the same properties as natural rubber latex. Synthetic polyisoprene compounds are commonly used as an alternative to natural rubber latex for tubing and...

Thermoplastic Elastomers Offer: 1. A Safe Alternative for Individuals with Latex Allergies For applications where latex-allergens are a concern, like the medical and surgical industry, many product manufacturers have made the switch to non-latex alternatives like...

Merangely Figueroa Garcia, a tender at our Kent facility for the last year and counting, works hard to help us carry out our commitment to continuous improvement and high-quality products. Merangely is an asset to our team who always brings a positive attitude, focus,...

Both thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are excellent alternatives to natural rubber latex, silicone, and other compounds for extrusion and injection molding applications. Many key industry sectors rely on TPE and TPU for critical...

Rubber, Set, Go: The Material Behind Our Sports & Fitness Goals   Busy working on your New Year’s Resolutions? At KEP we always have a few in the works...like continuously improving our customer experience, implementing new lean initiatives and organizing more...

Santoprene Offers the Performance Industries Demand Santoprene is part of the thermoplastic elastomer grouping of polymers but shares more characteristics with vulcanized rubber, or thermoplastic vulcanizates. Santoprene, sometimes called Santoprene TPV (short for...

Evolving Needs for Plastic Tubing Require Plastics that Meet Industry-Demands The uses and materials for tubing have evolved throughout the years, being constructed and manufactured from materials including iron and steel, clay, rubber and plastics. Plastic tubing,...

TPU Meets the Challenge To meet the manufacturing challenges of a fast-changing world, thermoplastic polyurethane offers outstanding versatility that makes it an excellent material and extremely popular across a range of industries and applications. TPU is a versatile...