The Evolution of IRMCO GEL

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Why lubricate your walls and floor? It’s a good question – and a valid one. It’s a question IRMCO asked over 20 years ago when tube-bending lubricants were either very fluid, oil-based chemistries or thicker, grease-like pastes. These products would regularly weep or fling out of tubes in process – or worse still – in cleaning or finishing processes later in production creating defects. It took a while, but IRMCO answered those nagging issues by creating IRMCO GEL® 980-000: an easy to apply, oil-free tube-bending lubricant that STAYS PUT in bending applications and then CLEANS EASILY in conventional cleaning processes.

But why stop there? The next innovation was an even cleaner running, easier to apply product that left negligible residues on tubes – allowing for improved weld through and even elimination of cleaning altogether in some applications. The IRMCO EXTREME® series of products was the next logical step in the evolution of tube-bending lubrication. IRMCO EXTREME addressed specific niche areas of tube-bending – providing tailored performance for specific alloys and severity of forming processes.

It’s safe to say these IRMCO products represented a seismic shift in the way tube-bending would be conducted – so much so, these products have often been copied or simulated, but the true origin of GEL and EXTREME remains at IRMCO… and the work continues.

Whether it’s addressing different tooling needs with IRMCO GEL® 980-301, or a replacement for older, chlorinated paraffin-based bending lubricants with IRMCO GEL® 986-00D, the evolution continues. And just as changes in tube-bending processes, materials and tooling continue – so does IRMCO’s commitment to researching and developing newer and more customized alternatives to our customer’s tube-bending needs.

We look forward to what’s around the corner…and what the next 20 years will hold. Who’s committed to helping you with your tube bending needs?

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