Parker Hannifin Corp. is investing in a 75,000-sq-ft expansion and modernization of its Parker LORD chemical manufacturing plant in Saegertown, Pa. This expansion to the existing 250,000-sq-ft facility will help enable Parker LORD to increase its share of the growing adhesives market.

Parker LORD is a highly engineered adhesive, coatings, and resin inventor and manufacturer. The company reportedly prides itself on having a solution-centric approach to developing new chemistry and thus is chemistry agnostic.

A model VM-600 triple-shaft mixer. (Image courtesy of Charles Ross & Son Company.)

The Saegertown facility produces a variety of Parker LORD acrylic, urethane, and epoxy adhesives, as well as Chemlok^® rubber-to-substrate adhesives. These products have a range of viscosities and flash points. The plant also produces specialty intermediate chemicals and coatings products that are supplied to customers around the world. It is one of the few explosion-proof-rated facilities in the U.S. that is involved in manufacturing such a variety of solutions.

For the Parker LORD team, it was critical that their future manufacturing footprint remained flexible around a host of chemistries so they could continue to respond quickly to customer needs. As part of this facility expansion and upgrade, the plant increased capabilities for precision manufacturing, automated batch management, and data fingerprinting.

This was made possible with ROSS mixers, blenders, and dispersers across the sealant, adhesive, and emulsions manufacturing lines. Applications include the simple stirring of low-viscosity, miscible fluids to the sophisticated dispersion of high-viscosity dissimilar materials. They are a key part of this precise, yet versatile operation. ROSS supplies highly custom controls that are easily integrated with Parker LORD’s DCS-controlled environment. The result adds extra degrees of control and traceability for a seamless integration of existing, added, and future assets.

The companies report that one of the most important aspects helping to make this partnership work is the long-time relationships—both professional and personal—that Parker LORD and ROSS personnel have maintained. These relationships help to make planning and implementation a smooth process.

Learn more at www.lord.com and www.mixers.com.

Note: Opening image courtesy of Parker Hannifin Corp.