Case Study
Custom silicone hose solution aids new business growth for Fastenal
About Fastenal
Fastenal is an industrial supply chain partner providing OEM and maintenance, repair and operations products to organisations across many sectors. These include manufacturing, government, construction, maintenance and distribution.
When one of its customers required a specialist reinforced silicone hose for a bus-manufacturing application, Fastenal needed a capable manufacturing partner, one that would deliver both a reliable service and quality product.
The Challenge
The requirement could not be met with a standard off-the-shelf silicone hose. Fastenal needed a supplier capable of using the correct material and manufacturing the precise hose shape detailed in the OEM customer’s technical drawings.
Finding the right manufacturing partner
The Silflex solution
Silflex manufactured the custom-reinforced silicone hoses entirely in-house, providing direct control over material selection, production, quality, and lead times.
Working from the customer’s technical drawings, the Silflex team produced the correct hose shape and specification for the bus-manufacturing application. Its in-house expertise and ability to customise products meant Fastenal did not have to rely on an inflexible overseas supply chain.
Silflex also registered as an approved supplier through Fastenal’s purchasing portal, making the procurement process as straightforward as possible.
Throughout the project, Silflex provided accurate quotations, communicated production lead-time updates, and arranged reliable shipping. This approach gave Fastenal visibility over the order and helped ensure the project moved ahead efficiently.
Quality, speed and dependable service
The finished reinforced silicone hoses met the OEM manufacturer’s requirements, giving Fastenal a quality product it could confidently supply to its customer.
By managing manufacturing in-house, Silflex maintained control over product quality and consistency, supporting dependable lead times and on-time delivery.
Supporting new business growth
The successful project allowed Fastenal to introduce a product it had not previously supplied, which has created an exciting new area of business growth going forward.
Beyond meeting the immediate requirement, the experience established Silflex as a trusted supplier that Fastenal would confidently recommend and work with again.
Our experience working with Silflex has been great. What impressed us most was the team’s willingness to work together, responsiveness and ability to customise products. Silflex provides quality products, ships on time and is a supplier we would recommend and use going forward.
A trusted partner for custom silicone hoses
This project demonstrates how Silflex combines specialist in-house manufacturing capabilities with quality products, responsive service and dependable delivery.
By understanding the technical requirements, manufacturing a bespoke solution, and supporting Fastenal throughout the purchasing and production process, Silflex delivered the correct product while helping its customer unlock a new opportunity for growth.
Tell us your challenge – we’ll engineer the solution.
Call us now on 01443 238 464 or email us at hosesolutions@silflex.com