Founded in 1975, Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE) is celebrating its 40th year anniversary in 2015; this milestone was acknowledged recently with an employee family fun day and “birthday” party. The company was initially a ‘one-man-band’ and as the business grew many new employees joined, some of which are still with PPE today. Globally over 300 people are currently employed by PPE.
In 2010 PPE changed from being a privately owned company to part of a large multi-billion dollar global organization after its acquisition by the USA-based IDEX Corporation. Since then PPE has been joined by two additional sealing companies; FTL Technology Ltd. and Novotema Spa. to form IDEX Sealing Solutions.
PPE is an O-ring and sealing component manufacturer, offering unique elastomer (rubber) materials and the most appropriate seal design, which ensures that equipment life is extended. Today PPE offers over 200 different grades of elastomer material that are used worldwide in industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, food and pharmaceutical manufacturing, large diesel engines for marine propulsion and power generation, aerospace engines and semiconductor manufacturing.
Due to rapid growth and a lack of capacity within the existing factory at Greenbank Road, Blackburn, United Kingdom the building was extended and doubled in size in 2009 to accommodate additional manufacturing equipment and create new capacity. During the extension a customer-training centre was also added.
In November 2014 PPE opened a new 30,000sq.ft purpose built manufacturing facility in Brenham, Texas, USA. This second manufacturing facility is strategically located near Houston, Texas, the hub of the global oil & gas industry and the Californian semiconductor manufacturing base.