What if one of the last industrial-braiding facilities in the UK was quietly supplying the sealing solutions that keep aircraft flying, chemical tankers leak-free and defence systems safe?
That isn’t a story from the past — it’s happening today at Beldam Crossley.
We remain one of the very few UK-based industrial-braiding facilities — and likely the largest — still operating at full scale. Rooted in nearly 150 years of manufacturing heritage and continuously investing in material science and engineering innovation, we design and produce sealing, packing and over-braid materials that perform where failure is not an option.
Our braiding facility combines legacy, specialist and modern machinery, enabling us to braid metallics, high-performance yarns and PTFE-enhanced fibres individually or in hybrid compositions to achieve mechanical resilience, wear resistance and chemical performance that single-material systems cannot match.
Technical Excellence Across Our Core Product Families
Cord Seals (“Rope Seals”)
Engineered for extremely high-temperature static sealing environments such as turbines, exhaust systems and aerospace hot-gas pathways.
Performance profile:
- Operating temperature continuously up to 1,200 °C (2,220 °F)
- Maintains resilience and sealing integrity through repeated thermal cycling
- Reduces hot-gas leakage between critical components to preserve performance and efficiency
- Designed to accommodate differing thermal expansion between dissimilar metals
Cord seals are chosen for applications where extreme heat and reliability determine safety and operational stability.
Pilot® LIDPACK™ Marine Tank Hatch Packing
The only British-manufactured marine tank hatch packing available today, designed specifically for transporting chemical and oil cargo.
Performance profile:
- Maximum temperature 100 °C
- Static pressure rating 0.7 bar
- Chemical resistance across the full pH range (0–14)
- Compatible with acids, alkalis, solvents, fuels, petroleum products, naphtha, powdered chemicals and more
- Abrasion-resistant and engineered to retain dimensional stability through repeated opening and closing cycles
LIDPACK is designed for real-world marine operations, where reliability and direct compatibility with aggressive cargoes are non-negotiable.
Wire & Textile Overbraid (Reinforcement and Protection Layer)
Applied over PTFE bellows, hoses, flexible conduits and tubing, overbraid provides a protective “armour layer” that significantly extends service life and system integrity.
Performance profile:
- Increases hoop strength and controls axial movement
- Prevents fatigue failures and over-extension under dynamic loads
- Provides abrasion, mechanical and chemical protection
- Available in stainless steel, tinned copper, Kevlar®, Nomex® and technical textile yarns to meet specific environmental demands
- Supports use in pressurised systems when applied over bellows or hose assemblies
Overbraid is widely used in aerospace, subsea, marine, energy and industrial systems where environmental hazards determine service life and reliability.
Why the World’s Most Demanding Operators Choose Beldam Crossley
Customers across aerospace, defence, marine transport, oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation and heavy industry rely on us because:
- Our products are engineered to perform in extreme operating environments
- We develop bespoke solutions when standard products are not sufficient
- Manufacturing, testing and quality assurance are controlled entirely in the United Kingdom
- Our solutions reduce downtime, extend service intervals and protect operational safety
We do not manufacture commodities. We engineer reliability.
Ready to Support Your Next Critical Application
If your project involves high-temperature engines, chemical cargo transport, subsea bellows, high-pressure fluid systems or any other demanding sealing or protection environment, our team is ready to support.
Contact our technical specialists at en*******@***************co.uk
We can provide specification support, datasheets or a fully engineered sealing solution tailored to your requirements.
