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Compression moulded plastic is often the only material option when manufacturing products for durability, safety and cost-effectiveness

By Barry Davidson, General Manager

Reducing the use of plastic is of course something we all know we must do in as many aspects of life as possible to improve the overall environment.

However, plastic remains a crucial – and in many cases unrivalled – material when it comes to ensuring we manufacture products which are able to meet the demanding standards of performance required in specific situations.

At Fairgrieve Compression Moulding we make many specialist products with plastic the chosen material either by our clients, or our own team, because of its many qualities.

Plastics are versatile, durable and an excellent insulator of electricity, heat, and sound. They are also corrosion resistant, making them suitable for use in environments where there is exposure to moisture or chemicals.

Importantly, plastic materials are highly moldable and can be shaped into intricate and complex designs, allowing for innovative and creative product designs that may be difficult or costly to achieve with other materials.

This means they can be engineered and formulated to offer a wide range of properties, from being rigid to flexible, transparent to opaque, heat-resistant or insulating, lightweight or durable.

This versatility allows for the creation of products with tailored characteristics to meet very specific needs of customers and their processes – and that is why – particularly when manufacturing products which need the standards of durability and safety – plastic has far from had its day.

Insulation properties vital in many industries

For each and every client at Fairgrieve Compression Moulding, performance of product is always the key factor in our work.

We design and mould products to stand the test of time, often acting as the vital element in the most challenging and intense environments.

Put simply, plastic continues to offer many advantages over other materials for our clients, as they can withstand impacts, moisture, UV radiation, and temperature fluctuations, with certain plastics also exhibiting high chemical resistance.

This makes them suitable for long-lasting applications, and ideal for environments such as mining, marine and offshore, and in hazardous and automotive industries, where they may be in contact with corrosive substances or harsh environments.

The insulation properties of plastics also makes them a must have material for electrical components in particular, such as electrical enclosures, circuit breakers, switches, and insulators, providing thermal and electrical insulation and contributing to energy efficiency and safety.

And, as compression moulded plastics provide excellent thermal stability, they maintain their structural integrity and mechanical properties, withstanding both high and low temperatures without significant degradation, making them suitable for applications exposed to extreme temperature variations.

Why choose compression moulding?

Compression molding involves shaping materials by applying heat and pressure to them within a mold, and it offers several advantages over other moulding techniques, including lower tooling costs, shorter cycle times, and excellent material properties.

Strength and durability are two of the key advantages of compression moulded materials, as they are able to withstand high loads, impacts, and harsh environmental conditions better than some traditional materials. This makes composite molding suitable for demanding applications that require high strength and long-term durability.

The process is ideal for producing complex parts with tight tolerances using thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics, allowing for the production of intricate parts with consistent accuracy while reducing material waste, leading to lower part costs.

At Fairgrieve Compression Moulding we are proud to be leading the way in developing many products from environmentally friendly materials, but we make no excuses for plastic products remaining part and parcel of what we do.

The industries and clients we serve need plastic products as there is simply is no better, more reliable, or safer material for their needs.

And when it comes to plastic moulding experience, as the first UK company to compression mould Bakelite plastics, there is nobody better placed than our highly-experienced team.

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