Jasper Rubber Products Inc. has obtained a license to use Integral Technologies Inc.'s ElectriPlast technology for specific applications within Jasper's customer base.
``We see the material as pretty revolutionary,'' said Doug Mathias, Jasper chief executive officer and president. ``There are conductive plastics, but this is different.''
Jasper Rubber's laboratory plans to experiment in injection molding versions of ElectriPlast for possible thermoplastic and thermoset rubber applications with existing customers in the automotive, filtration and major appliance markets. Jasper operates presses with clamping forces of 75-440 tons and has lathe-cut and extrusion processing capabilities.
The Jasper-based firm employs more than 800 at a 35,000-square-foot site and has annual sales of about $75 million. The employee-owned firm was founded in 1949.
In March, Integral Technologies of Bellingham, Wash., completed its first ElectriPlast patent license agreement, a nonexclusive deal with Heatron Inc. of Leavenworth, Kan., for uses in the heating and light-emitting-diode markets.
Additional agreements are being developed. ``We have a lot in the queue,'' said Thomas Aisenbrey, Integral's chief technology officer and general manager.
ElectriPlast blends may contain micron-conducting doping elements, any of more than 15,000 base resins, time-release features and dispersion additives.