Following the acquisition of Fenner Precision, a global leader in advanced silicone rubber products, by Michelin in 2018, the company has been benefiting from a wave of investment across the organisation including upgrades to its onsite laboratory through to the implementation of in-house material compounding.
As part of this investment, in 2019 Fenner Precision contacted Mark Galliver, Sales Manager at Engelmann & Buckham (E&B) who are the UK agents for MonTech GmbH, to discuss upgrading or replacing their existing MDR which the Fenner lab had been using to verify the properties of rubber compounds used in their production process.
MonTech proposed several options including upgrading the MDR with all new PLC controls, software and PC, or a complete replacement with the MonTech MDR 3000 Basic. After initially agreeing to a rental arrangement, Fenner opted for a brand new MDR 3000 Basic, with automatic 5 sample linear loader. Galliver explains, “Shortly after the installation of the new device, the users in the lab were so impressed with the capabilities and usability of the MDR 3000 Basic that they were able to make a solid case to the Fenner management for an outright purchase.”
During this period MonTech also integrated all Fenner’s laboratory instruments into their MonControl database, transferring existing historical data to the new software at the same time. This data transfer was achieved seamlessly and allows for smoother data entry and retrieval for statistical analysis.
“Our focus on quality is critical to everything we do here are Fenner. We understand that we can only guarantee product consistency in line with our customers’ high standards by using the best equipment available.” says Dr Luis Enriquez, Materials Development Manager for Fenner Precision.
“The reliability of data is crucial to us and our new MonTech moving die rheometer is invaluable in material research and development as well as quality control. On the infrequent occasions an issue may arise, the E&B support team is always highly responsive and goes above and beyond to find a speedy resolution.”