Customer Testimonial | Lidpack® Delivers When It Matters Most
For nearly a century and a half, Beldam Crossley has stood alongside the global maritime industry — supplying trusted sealing solutions that keep fleets safe, cargo secure and operations moving. Our Pilot® Lidpack® range continues this proud tradition, designed to perform where reliability is non-negotiable: at sea. Recently, a major international shipping company transporting Naphtha cargo reached out after facing critical hatch seal failures during a mandatory onboard pressure test. Despite having newly fitted braided seals from another supplier, the vessel’s soap test inspection revealed leakage across multiple hatches — an unacceptable risk given the volatile nature of the cargo. The Challenge A series of newly fitted hatch seals — supplied by a third party — failed during inspection, causing delays, unplanned port time and rising costs. The vessel’s Captain and technical team needed a rapid, dependable solution to restore hatch integrity and pass inspection before loading could continue. The Solution The shipping company contacted Beldam Crossley, drawing on our long-standing reputation for engineering precision and maritime sealing expertise.Our team quickly identified and supplied Lidpack® 3801L, a proven braided hatch packing designed to maintain a tight, secure seal under pressure — even in aggressive chemical and petroleum cargo environments. The new Lidpack® 3801L was cut to length, heat-fused at the ends, lubricated, and reinforced with PTFE yarn tape to ensure an even, compressed seal. The hatch covers were refitted, and the subsequent vapour pressure test was a complete success — with no major pressure release for the full duration of the test. Captain’s Testimonial “Thank you to all at Beldam Crossley Ltd in the UK.I am pleased to say that all lid packs of COTs 1W–6W + Slop W + BW have been replaced with the new 3801L tank lid packing. The packings sit tightly in the hatch covers, and the subsequent vapour pressure test was successful – showing no major release of pressure for the duration of the test. We have learned a valuable lesson: don’t install cheap, inferior grades of hatch seals. The problems we had and the extra cost of port call while the problem was being addressed were staggering.” Results Zero leakage achieved under vapour pressure test Immediate operational recovery, avoiding further port delays Improved cargo safety and compliance with Naphtha load requirements Restored confidence in long-term sealing reliability Built on 149 Years of Maritime Partnership From the days of the tea clippers to today’s chemical tankers, Beldam Crossley has been a trusted name in marine sealing solutions — blending craftsmanship, material science and innovation across generations. The success of this project demonstrates how Lidpack® continues to protect the world’s fleets, delivering safety, performance and peace of mind when it matters most. Looking for proven reliability at sea? Contact en*******@***************co.uk to discuss your Lidpack® hatch sealing solutions or explore our custom-engineered PTFE components for marine, offshore and energy applications.
Staff Spotlight | Celebrating 39 Years of Excellence – Steve
At Beldam Crossley, we’re proud to celebrate the people who make our engineering movement possible — and few embody that better than Steve Tyrer, our long-serving Production Leader. With an incredible 39 years of service, Steve’s journey from apprentice to senior leadership is one built on loyalty, integrity, and a relentless drive for quality. Known among his team as firm but fair, Steve leads with quiet confidence and deep respect. He’s admired not just for his technical expertise, but for his ability to bring out the best in others — a balance of precision and people that defines our culture. “We’re never going backwards, only forwards. We’ve become so diverse, offering industry-leading products in many different sectors.” — Steve Tyrer Under Steve’s leadership, our precision machining team operates one of the most diverse arrays of PTFE production machinery in the UK — manufacturing bellows, seals, nozzles, and clean-room process components from FDA, WRAS and other approved Crossflon® materials to name just one area. His department’s capability underpins Beldam Crossley’s expansion into biopharma and chemical process OEM markets, where the need for purity, performance, ‘chemically inert’ and compliance is paramount. These components — crafted from our high-performance Crossflon® UHP and SL Series PTFE — are helping major Pharma and Bioprocess OEMs across Europe develop the next generation of equipment for sterile and chemical-resistant environments. Whether it’s a gasket for a bioreactor, a seal for a valve, or a bearing for an aseptic filling system, Steve and his team deliver with precision and care. Beyond technical excellence, Steve embodies our “Customer Focus” value — working together to give customers exactly what they need, staying proactive, learning from experience, and always making space for innovation and change. His calm leadership and unwavering commitment have made him a solid pillar within the Beldam Crossley community. Steve was recently recognised through our Reward & Recognition Programme for his contribution to a key customer project — a fitting acknowledgment of his craftsmanship and leadership. We’re immensely proud to have Steve as part of our story — and grateful for the stability, skill, and spirit he brings to every challenge. If you are one of our loyal customers, we can guarantee Steve has ensured your order was handled with expert care and precision. Enhance your process performance with our custom-blend PTFE precision machined components. 📩 Contact en*******@***************co.uk to learn more. .
Local News Celebrates Our World-First Innovation
We are delighted to have been featured in The Bolton News following the launch of our game-changing subsea bearing range. This marks an exciting moment for Beldam Crossley. Backed by a £150,000 research investment, our new subsea bearing line is the result of years of development, designed to deliver enhanced performance in demanding underwater environments. Being spotlighted in the local press reaffirms our commitment to innovation and engineering excellence. It’s a proud moment for our team in Bolton and everyone involved in bringing this project to life. Read the full feature in The Bolton News
Beldam Crossley Launches Game-Changing Subsea Bearing Range Following £150,000 Research Investment
Subsea engineers now have access to an innovative bearing solution with unmatched compressive strength, ultra-low friction, and zero maintenance requirements. Beldam Crossley, a UK-based engineering specialist in high-performance polymer sealing and bearing components, has officially launched its new subsea Crossflon® slide bearings that are powered by the proprietary Crossflon® XS material. Developed over a three-year period with an R&D investment exceeding £150,000, the range is set to redefine standards in subsea bearing performance. The launch marks a strategic milestone for Beldam Crossley as it extends its engineered polymer expertise into the subsea sector. This new product is already in active use within a major offshore installation off the coast of Angola, operating at depths of up to 780 metres. At the heart of this new pioneering product, exclusive to Beldam Crossley is Crossflon® XS, a proprietary filled PTFE developed in-house to solve one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: how to combine extreme compressive strength with the ultra-low friction required in subsea environments. Where traditional PTFE materials typically force a compromise between load bearing capacity and coefficient of friction, Crossflon® XS breaks the mould, delivering static values as low as 0.03 (on par with virgin PTFE) while withstanding compressive loads up to 75MPa, which is nearly three times that of conventional glass filled PTFE. Gareth Holt, Sales Director at Beldam Crossley said: “This is a world-first and we are beyond proud in bringing this proven solution to market. There is no other PTFE-based material we’re aware of on the market that can perform like Crossflon® XS. We’ve created a genuinely unique solution that is proven, tested and now installed in one of the harshest environments on Earth. It really is a game changer for businesses.” Incorporating Crossflon® XS into Beldam Crossley’s established slide bearing technology, the new subsea bearings are purpose-built for applications such as flowline end terminations (FLETs), in-line tees (ILTs), pipeline end manifolds (PLEMs) and pipeline end terminations (PLETs). These components play critical roles in subsea processing, often in SURF-related projects (Subsea Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines). Key features of these new subsea Crossflon® slide bearings include maintenance free operation over an extended period, near-zero water absorption and weldable construction, thus eliminating the need for bolted connections. In addition, with Beldam Crossley’s in-house design and testing facilities, they can be tailored to bespoke project needs. Such Crossflon® slide bearings were used on a subsea installation of the coast of West Africa, where they where they were subjected to rigorous real-world testing conditions. The project, has opened doors to conversations with major energy and EPC contractors globally. Engineered in Bolton, the subsea Crossflon® slide bearings launch also underscores Beldam Crossley’s long-standing expertise in PTFE innovation. The company was among the first in the UK to process PTFE over 60 years ago and has since developed a broad range of proprietary grades under the Crossflon® brand. Gareth added: “This isn’t just a new product, it’s a strategic leap that will re-define subsea engineering. It validates years of R&D investment and showcases what British engineering can achieve when we push the boundaries of materials science.” Following the successful Angola deployment, Beldam Crossley has seen record sales growth, with PTFE-based bearing systems exceeding £2 million in revenue in 2024 alone; a figure set to rise as demand for high-performance subsea materials grows across oil, gas, and renewable sectors. www.beldamcrossley.co.uk
REFLECTIONS PART 2: A Remarkable Tale
This problem of inadequate packings was right on Asplan Beldam’s doorstep because of his pursuit of high steam pressures, so he bent his considerable abilities to finding a solution. His answer was the first metallic asbestos—or compound—packing. He rolled a sandwich of woven fabric and pleated white metal foil into a cylinder, like a Swiss roll, where the foil represented the filling. This cylinder was then pressure-formed into whatever cross-section—square, round, triangular—a particular application called for. Pleating the metal foil gave the packing a degree of flexibility, which enabled it to be used for situations of almost any diameter and to bend without fracture. The new packing proved to be vastly more durable and effective in Beldam’s high-pressure engines than existing types. News of this improved performance soon spread around the marine engineering fraternity, and a number of inquiries from other steam users doubtlessly convinced Asplan Beldam that his packing had a high commercial potential. So, in 1876, he patented the packing and formed the Beldam Packing and Rubber Company to exploit it. By that time, he had ceased to be the servant of any one company and had set up as a consulting engineer and naval architect in the City of London. In that capacity, he undertook numerous commissions for shipbuilders and shipowners. One of his outstanding achievements was to design and supervise the building of a ship which became the fastest vessel afloat. She was the STIRLING CASTLE—iron-hulled, screw-driven, and steaming at 100 lb. per square inch. Launched in January 1882, with a deadweight tonnage of over 6,000, she was big for her day. In the same year, she provided a splendid vindication of our founder’s high-pressure designs—and of Beldam packings too—by leaving the China tea port of Woosung with 6,000 tons of tea on May 23 and arriving in London on June 22—effectively a 30-day trip, with a steaming time of just under 28 days. That was a remarkable performance when most steamers took anything from 40 to 60 days: the previous record by a steamer was 36 days. To show that this was no engine-wrecking, flash-in-the-pan effort, the STIRLING CASTLE repeated the feat in 1883, leaving Hankow on May 22 and arriving with clockwork precision in London on June 22.
Beldam Crossley Newsletter – Issue 2 Now Available!
We’re delighted to bring you the second edition of the Beldam Crossley Newsletter. This issue highlights our latest innovations, important milestones, and stories that reflect the hard work and dedication of our team. From product developments to industry events and community achievements, this newsletter offers a clear view of how we’re continuing to build on our progress and strengthen our commitment to excellence. 👉 Read the newsletter (PDF)
From 1978 to 2025: How Testing Has Shaped the LidPack® Legacy
A story of tradition, innovation, and the seal of trust After more than 35 years of testing, trials, and tensile data, our commitment to doing things right has never wavered—even as our tools have evolved. Looking Back: Our First Tests of LidPack Resilience in the 1970s One of the most iconic machines in our workshop was the original compression tester, installed in the 1970s. Built like a tank, it wasn’t just used—it was trusted. I remember it chugging away, testing LidPack seal recovery and endurance long before digital systems were introduced. It helped define our early commitment to ensuring every seal could withstand compression and return to form, providing a watertight, dependable fit time after time. We still have photos of it—steel arms, analogue dials, and that unmistakable hum. It was a snapshot of engineering at its rawest and most honest. That first generation of testing taught us something essential: the best seal isn’t just designed—it’s proven. Fast Forward to 2025: Enter the Tinius Olsen 10ST Nearly five decades on, our approach to testing has only grown more advanced. This year, we introduced the Tinius Olsen 10ST Tensometer into our in-house test facility—a £30,000 investment in future-proofing both our products and our processes. This cutting-edge machine simulates real-world hatch and lid scenarios by subjecting seals to long-term performance tests. It replicates intermittent load cycles, mimicking the compressive forces caused by lock bars and closures during everyday operation. What it confirms is what we already know:Our seals recover. They perform. And—most importantly—they last. The technology may have evolved since the 1970s, but our principle remains the same:Test everything. Trust nothing until it’s proven. Where Tradition Meets Technology We’ve never been a company to chase trends. Instead, we’ve invested in what truly matters—our people, our materials, and our processes. Our in-house testing lab enables us to validate every product through dedicated, rigorous evaluation. By blending traditional mechanical craftsmanship with modern digital precision, we ensure that every LidPack seal meets—and exceeds—global expectations, including DNV and US Coast Guard approvals. What makes our testing approach unique isn’t just the equipment. It’s our culture. Every seal is treated like it could be the one preventing a critical failure. That mindset drives our engineers. It’s why generations of customers continue to trust us. The LidPack® Recovery Promise The standout feature of our LidPack range is recovery. When a seal compresses and then returns to its original shape, it maintains a tight, leak-free fit—even after thousands of operations. Without recovery, performance degrades. With recovery, you get reliability, safety, and peace of mind. Our tests simulate repeated use under real-world pressures to ensure that promise is delivered—whether it’s for a chemical tanker, fuel truck, or rail hatch. Since the 1970s (and even earlier), we’ve performed these tests in-house to generate traceable data. Combined with decades of customer feedback, we have the proof:Our seals recover. And that’s why our customers return. Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter As someone who has spent most of their working life here, I can confidently say the heartbeat of Beldam Crossley hasn’t changed. It’s still about careful craft, continuous improvement, and absolute accountability. With new investments like the Tinius Olsen and upcoming upgrades—such as the MTS Landmark hydraulic test system—we’re not just preserving our standards, we’re raising them. And while I may feel nostalgic about our old tensometer and its clunky charm, I’m just as excited for what’s next. Stay tuned. In the coming months, we’ll be sharing a closer look at our testing processes, the people behind them, and how we’re preparing to support the next generation of engineers and customers alike. Here’s to the blend of past and future—and the seal of trust that holds it all together.
Beldam Crossley Launches Crossflon® FG – Food Grade PTFE Now Fully EU-Compliant for Food Contact Applications
Beldam Crossley Launches Crossflon® FG – Food Grade PTFE Now Fully EU-Compliant for Food Contact Applications Bolton, UK – Aug 2025– Beldam Crossley, a UK-based manufacturer with 149 years of engineering excellence, is proud to announce the launch of Crossflon® FG, a newly certified food-grade PTFE material designed for demanding applications within the food and bever-age industry. Following rigorous testing, Crossflon® FG has been officially approved for food contact under EU Regulation 10/2011, and a Declaration of Compliance (DoC) is now available. This declaration confirms that Crossflon® FG has passed all necessary safety evaluations and can be supplied at every stage of the supply chain, in full accordance with Article 15 of the EU Plastics Regulation. “Crossflon® FG marks a significant step forward in our polymer innovation strategy,” said Dave Haxton, Managing Director at Beldam Crossley. “It allows us to serve our food and beverage customers with complete confidence – delivering high-performance, regulatory-compliant components that are built to last and made right here in the UK.” Why Crossflon® FG?Crossflon® FG is stronger than standard PTFE, more wear-resistant, and features a super clean ‘Eternal White’ colour, making it ideal for environments where hygiene, visibility, and contamination control are critical. With excellent low-friction properties, it is perfectly suited for frictionless systems that demand long-term reliability and safety. Applications now available in Crossflon® FG include: • PTFE Bearings for mixers, fillers, and conveyor systems• Bushes and Seals for shafts, valves, and rotating assemblies• Nozzles for filling, spraying, and dosing in hygienic processing lines• Guides and Liners for contact surfaces in food production equipment This new material is already in use across major cereal and chocolate production facili-ties in the UK and Europe, installed in a range of food processing and packaging equipment – confirming its performance in real-world, high-volume applications. Trusted by the Industry’s BestCrossflon® FG complements Beldam Crossley’s broader range of certified materials trusted by some of the world’s most regulated industries: • DNV and US Coast Guard-certified sealing solutions for marine• AS9100 Aerospace-grade polymer bearings• JOSCAR MOD and energy sector approvals• ISO 9001-certified quality management systemsConfidence Through Compliance The Crossflon® FG Declaration of Compliance is ready to be issued to customers and au-thorities on request, with full supporting documentation and test reports available. It can be provided throughout the entire product lifecycle, giving OEMs, equipment designers, and op-erators total peace of mind. “Our mission is to provide not only performance but trust,” added Haxton. “Crossflon® FG gives food producers a future-ready material that’s clean, compliant and engineered for opera-tional excellence.” To request the Declaration of Compliance or learn more, contact:en*******@***************co.uk | 🌐 www.beldamcrossley.co.ukFactory tours and on-site consultations available
Beldam Crossley Newsletter – Issue 1 Now Available!
We’re excited to share the very first issue of the Beldam Crossley Newsletter. Inside, you’ll find a round-up of key updates, achievements, and insights from across the business. Whether you’re part of the team or one of our valued partners, this newsletter gives you a snapshot of what’s been happening and what’s coming up. 👉 Read the newsletter (PDF)
Beldam Crossley Invests £650,000 to Drive Growth, Innovation, and Efficiency
Leading engineering and manufacturing firm Beldam Crossley has announced a major investment of £650,000 in cutting-edge equipment and facility upgrades to enhance its production capabilities, meet increasing demand, and drive efficiency across operations. The Bolton-based firm renowned for its precision, innovation, and reliability has allocated a significant portion of the investment, £130,000, to the installation of two Kardex machines, revolutionising the way materials are stored and accessed. These state-of-the-art automated storage and retrieval systems have improved material handling, enhanced security, and optimised space utilisation, ensuring seamless operations. In addition, £280,000 has been invested in advanced machinery, incorporating the latest programming software. This new equipment delivers greater accuracy, higher tolerance points on parts, and improved consistency, particularly in the production of complex, high-volume PTFE machined components. Notably, the machinery is also more energy-efficient, aligning with the firm’s commitment to sustainability. The new machinery has been instrumental in improving the precision and efficiency of the firm’s flagship PTFE machined components solutions, allowing Beldam Crossley to exceed stringent industry requirements as market leaders in the field. The investment has also led to enhanced consistency in the manufacturing of high-performance seals, Tri clamps, bearings, bellows and other precision-engineered parts, ensuring superior quality and reliability for customers across multiple sectors including aerospace, chemical processes, pharmaceutical and food and beverage. These strategic investments have already had a significant impact on the business leading to increased production capacity of PTFE machined components and thanks to more manufacturing space now available on the factory floor, customers are benefiting from shorter lead times on orders. The firm’s commitment to operational excellence is reflected in its ‘on time in full delivery’ performance, which is on track to hit 95% this quarter, exceeding key performance indicators set following the investment. Gareth Holt, Sales Director at Beldam Crossley said: “The completion of this investment marks an exciting milestone in Beldam Crossley’s ongoing commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. By enhancing our production capabilities, increasing efficiency, and reducing lead times, we are ensuring that we continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers while setting new standards in precision manufacturing.” Formed in 1876, the firm is showing no signs of slowing down and is feeling buoyant about their future and that of the sector. With a strong foundation for future growth, Beldam Crossley continues to reinforce its position as a leading force in high-performance manufacturing, providing innovative engineered solutions for the world’s most critical challenges. For more information, visit www.beldamcrossley.co.uk
