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Since 1982 Primeline Industries has produced the highest quality latex tubing for the spearfishing industry. Primeline has developed a unique latex tubing with unique properties that improve the performance of any spearguns and this quality is recognised unanimously around the world.
Natural latex rubber tubing has been given many names. Some people call it surgical tubing, exercise or fitness tube, gum rubber tubing, and dipped tubing as well as speargun bands and slingshot bands. Others may simply refer to it as stretchy tubing. Natural Latex Rubber Tubing made by PRIMELINE’S Continuous Dip Process creates a superior natural latex rubber tubing. The physical properties are better, the quality higher and the colors more vibrant than product manufactured from dry natural or synthetic materials. In addition, Primeline’s tubing has only 50 micrograms or less of water-extractable protein per gram. This is important since proteins in natural rubber can cause severe allergic reactions in those individuals who are allergic to the types of protein found in natural rubber. This is known as the latex allergy. No other rubber tubing can claim to have lower protein levels.
Primeline amber natural rubber latex tubing is well received by the medical community and used in hospitals across the U.S., Canada and even overseas. It is used by hospitals in their laboratories, for rehabilitation, and specified by surgeons across the U.S. as a component in specialized surgical procedure operating room kits. It can be sterilized by steam, EtO (Ethylene Oxide), and gamma radiation. It meets USP Pharmacopeia IV, and the compound ingredients in our latex tubing are within safe levels as recommended by the U.S. FDA CFR 21 and is generally recognized as safe as it has been used in applications for well over 30 years.
What is Latex, and How is it Made?
Rubber made from natural latex is different from that which is made from extruded or synthetic materials. Primeline utilizes a continuous dip process in which the rubber is built up in a layered process that offers superior physical properties. This process also allows virtually all of the proteins found in latex to be removed, with less than 50 micrograms of extractable protein per gram remaining. The proteins found in Latex can be responsible for allergic reactions, and therefore by reducing them this process reduces the risks of such reactions as well. Our tubing is also phthalate free.
Natural latex is a milky white extract from certain plants, primarily the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, grown in large plantations for commercial cultivation. Latex may be either converted into dry stock or remain in a liquid form. When combined with certain chemical ingredients such as anti-oxidants and curing agents, the physical properties of the finished product are enhanced. Most curing agents, or cure packages, contain sulfur and other activators which transform the raw latex into rubber under a common process known as vulcanization. The procedure for adding the necessary ingredients is known as compounding.
Primeline speargun rubber has been regarded in the speargun industry for over 40 years and is the preferred rubber by speargun manufacturers and distributors in the U.S. and around the world. Offer the tubing in the standard 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) bore, the 1/16 inch (1.6 “micro” bore), and the new 3/32 inch (2.4mm). Custom sizing is also available upon request. We can color match to any PMS color and often make multi-color cross sections. In addition, we also offer completely pre-cut and assembled finished wishbone band assemblies, made to specification. Primeline can further customize the rubber to be private branded with a logo printed on the rubber.
Primeline Industries manufactures Natural Rubber Latex tubing. Dipped process creates rubber with optimal performance and strength. It is 99.9% latex-protein free. Ideal to rehabilitate muscles through simple workouts and protect joints from injury. Use the full line of eight resistance levels. Product ships in 25 foot continous piece able to be cut into desired lengths.
If the latex is to be converted to dry stock, the compounding must be added under a process known as mastication, in which the dry stock is first sheared by passing through rollers to reduce it into basic polymer chains, then the compound ingredients are added under additional forced pressure to result in a dry product. The dry product can be molded or extruded into a variety of finished products.
Primeline uses the original liquid form of natural latex, which avoids the mastication process. Water based dispersions are blended with the raw latex, resulting in an evenly distributed formula. The result is a superior base product with superior physical properties including greater tear resistance.. These properties are essential in providing strength and performance to rubber tubing, surgical gloves, condoms, balloons and other similar natural latex based products.
When compared to the dry stock approach, Primeline’s continuous dip process is far more time consuming and labor intensive, but the result is a better end product. It is not a method conducive to shortcuts and quick fixes. Our quality comes from attention to detail and continuous product refinement, based on many years of experience.
Primeline Industries is based in Akron Ohio, the Rubber Capital of the World. Manufacturing high quality dipped Natural Latex Rubber tubing. Place an emphasis on customer satisfaction as the majority of work that doing is custom in nature. It is for this reason that pride ourselves on handling every order with a great deal of attention to detail, no matter how large or how small.
Producing the natural latex rubber tubing in various sizes and lengths for sale in bulk or pre-packaged containers. Our tubing can be made in virtually any color. Primeline offers specialized services which include assembling and packaging customer specified product designs. These designs often utilize our tubing with sewn webbing, attachments and retail packaging. Examples of this include the addition of plugs, clasps, hooks, handles, and labels. Configurations can be looped, braided, or connected into simple or complex styles. These assemblies are used in many industries including fitness, recreation, sports training and toys.
Primeline Industries is the succession of a business dating back to the early 1900’s, tracing its original roots to the B.F. Goodrich Tire and Rubber Company.
Two scientists, Dr. M.H. Harrison and Dr. H.A. Morton of B.F. Goodrich Tire were tasked with developing rubber tubing using an alternate production process. Harrison and Morton left Goodrich in 1939 but continued with their work. The scientists ultimately perfected the process of a continuous dip method of producing rubber tubing and founded Harrison and Morton Laboratories. The company later became Chemco and was based in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a suburb of Akron. Chemco was a producer of both tubing and the base compounding ingredients, anti-oxidants and curing agents.
Chemco was eventually acquired by Reichhold Chemicals, Inc. in 1960. The company split the chemical operations apart from the production process, which remained in Cuyahoga Falls. The business segment was renamed the Latex Rubber Products Division of Reichhold Chemicals, Inc.
In 1982 Primeline Industries, Inc. purchased the Latex Rubber Products division from Reichhold. A few years later, spearheaded by Ron Larizza, Primeline Industries was acquired and placed into a family owned corporation named SML, Inc. The company continues to do business as Primeline Industries, expanding its capabilities to include assembly designs under a second generation of Larizza ownership. The company boasts a customer base across the world and continues to invest in product refinement and enhanced assembly designs and capabilities.
