Double sided materials are replacing traditional fixing methods in a range of industries and applications. They also offer additional functionality such as sealing, damping and conducting.
Our range of medical grade materials offer unique characteristics for stick to skin applications and can be sterilised by EtO, gamma and steam. Other products include speciality films and foils for a range of medical applications.
We offer coated and non-coated foam and rubber materials for a variety of applications including gasketing, sealing, vibration and sound dampening and energy absorption.
We offer a selection of the most versatile and satisfactory RFI and EMI shielding solutions, for effective shielding of wirelessly transmitting devices.
As electronics become smaller and more powerful, the need for effective thermal materials increases. We offer a variety of products to suit most applications.
For the management of temperature, humidity, gases and pressure, and the prevention of liquid, dust and chemical contamination. We hold an expanding range of materials to suit your every application.
We offer our customers access to a superior range of medical grade materials for the varied applications found within the healthcare market. Our commitment to quality, demonstrated by our ISO 13485 registration, FDA registration and ISO Class 7 Clean Room capability means our customers are confident in the superior quality we can achieve for their medical products.
We fully understand the key needs of the automotive market; we offer quality management to ISO 9001, clean room manufacturing and TS16949 compliance. This, combined with our access to World leading materials, makes us the first choice partner in the manufacture of automotive components.
We supply adhesive components into a range of electronics applications, from bonding of dissimilar substrates, to sealing, cushioning, shielding and insulating of components. Whatever your needs, our access to a variety of products, and the ability to create bespoke constructions and components, will ensure we have a solution to your unique requirements.
Industrial grade materials offer strength and resilience, as well as resistance to UV, chemicals, oil and extreme temperatures. Whatever your needs, our experts can advise on the optimum product for your application. We can convert your material into bespoke components for enhanced manufacturing efficiencies and cost savings.
The safety critical applications of this market require trusted adhesive solutions to ensure high quality and reliability of products. We offer a range of materials for bonding, sealing, insulating, shielding and venting for a range of detection, monitoring and emergency devices. Whatever your needs, we have the experience, materials and converting expertise to offer the optimum solution to the unique requirements of your products and processes.
We offer a range of specialist products and manufacturing processes to satisfy the safety critical needs of the defence industry. With Quality Management accreditation to ISO 9001, Clean Room manufacturing and SC21 accreditation, we are confident in meeting the quality expectations of our military and defence customers.
Adhesive tapes offer a range of trusted solutions for aerospace applications and are commonly used for bonding and sealing, as well as vibration dampening, shielding, cooling, masking and venting. We have access to a vast range of materials, which we can convert into bespoke components for enhanced quality and manufacturing efficiencies.
We offer a range of bonding tapes and films for the assembly and protection of furniture, partition walls, flooring systems, HVAC products, doors and windows. Whether you require a permanent bonding solution or temporary protection, we can advise on the optimum product for your unique application.
Modern lighting utilises many adhesive components to enhance the aesthetics and the efficiency of lighting products. We provide bespoke adhesive components to efficiently bond, seal, vent, dissipate heat and reflect light in a range of lighting applications.
Solar and wind energy products are subject to the harshest external environments throughout their lifetime. This includes extreme temperatures, UV light, wind, rain and debris. We offer a range of performance materials to protect components and resist these environmental extremes, as well as efficiently bond, insulate and vent internal components.
We have over 50 years experience in converting tapes and flexible materials for a diverse range of industries and applications. During this time we have built long lasting relationships with suppliers and customers and have built on our experience, capabilities and our reach throughout Europe and beyond.
From design conception to final production and assembly, quality is paramount in providing our customers with products that consistently reach their desired quality standards. We do this through external accreditation and auditing, as well as internal practices and performance monitoring.
Parafix is proud to partner with world leading tape and material manufacturers. With access to a broad range of products we offer our customers extensive choice and the opportunity to combine complimentary materials from any manufacturer, unique to their requirements.
We are proud of our ‘can do’ attitude at Parafix, always striving to solve our customers’ challenges. We are also committed to quality and aim to treat our customers, employees and communities fairly and with care.
Our company values ensure we add value to and maintain the high levels of service throughout all of our activities. Read our company values on this page.
In 1969 we started our journey as a small distributor of adhesive tape. Today we’ve become a leading converter in Europe, creating complex adhesive components used globally.
One of our company values is to support the local communities in which we operate. This page shares some of the community activities we engage in and good causes we offer our support to.
There are many reasons why tapes are replacing traditional fixing methods. Among these is the strong and reliable bond that tapes provide and their additional functionality such as sealing, shielding, insulating and cushioning. In addition to these benefits, joining with tape offers greater design options, product quality and enhanced manufacturing efficiencies.
A customised adhesive component offers a number of benefits to designers and engineers. Product designs can be streamlined with invisible joins and product manufacture is made simple with a convenient and easy to handle component. Adhesive parts can be designed with application aids, or for use in automated assembly processes.
Tape is replacing traditional fixing methods across many applications. Here we compare the benefits of using a tape in place of traditional fixing methods.
When choosing an adhesive product, there are some key criteria to consider so that the desired performance is achieved. By understanding the end product and conditions it will be subject to, a material can be specified that will last the full life of your product.
The way you use your tape is an important factor in ensuring the desired performance is achieved. We’ve put together some tips on looking after your material and applying it correctly.
Replacing heavy substrates with lighter weight materials
The trend for smaller and lightweight products is driven by benefits such as improved product design/performance, reduced manufacturing costs and reduced environmental impact.
Lightweighting can be achieved through replacing traditional fixing methods with an adhesive tape, by replacing substrates with lighter materials and by designing parts to use less material.
Lightweighting through replacing traditional heavy-duty substrates raises challenges in terms of substrate assembly, performance and aesthetics. Here we discuss these challenges and a solution for each.
1. Adhesion to lighter substrates Introducing a lightweight substrate, for example replacing steel with aluminium, aluminium with plastic or engineering plastic with PE or PP plastic can present new bonding challenges due to their significantly diffferent surface and mechanical properties. Generally, with each decrease in substrate weight, adhesion to the lighter substrate becomes more difficult. Low surface energy (LSE) plastics, for example, can be particularly difficult to bond to, however, not impossible.
Lighter substrates such as aluminium, engineering plastics and various polyolefins are better suited to fabrication and assembly by adhesive bonding rather than traditional fixings from both a weight saving and mechanical performance perspective.
We offer a range of bonding materials suited to even the most difficult to bond to substrates, including plastics, metals, powder coated metals and foams. Our experienced Advisors can guide you in selecting and testing the products best suited to your unique requirements.
2. Attaching dissimilar substrates Joining dissimilar materials can be challenging due to the differences in their chemical properties, for example if steel and aluminum are directly attached an electrochemical reaction will occur and cause corrosion of the metals. Differences in the coefficients of expansion can also be problematic.
We offer a range of products with flexibility and durability for any mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion, as well as providing a reliable barrier between different surfaces to bond and separate dissimilar substrates.
3. Lighter weight substrates can be noisier Lighter weight substrates are often noisier as they can produce more vibration, which creates noise of greater frequency (i.e., more vibrations per second) and of a higher pitch. As a result, the perception of lower quality or decreased safety may be created. This can be avoided by using lightweight aluminium sound damping tapes, or high performance foam tape, such as 3Mâ„¢ VHBâ„¢ products, which absorb energy, as well as relaxing internal stresses.
4. Weaker/more flexible substrates Lighter weight substrates can be more flexible but also weaker. As such, they may need reinforcement to increase their strength. There are a range of products available that provide this strength, which are also lightweight, helping to maintain a net reduction in product weight. Protective films and other materials are available for effective and easy strengthening of weaker and more flexible substrates, in a range of applications such as electronic devices and signage.
5. Differences in heat and flame susceptibility When replacing substrates with lighter weight materials, consideration must be given to any requirement for heat and flame resistance. Whether a product requires overall heat resistance or one time protection from a flame event at the end of product life, a foil tape can be used to provide high performance protection where necessary. We offer a range of options for protection of a variety of substrates.
6. Visual appearance of lighter substrates Introducing lighter weight substrates can have a significant effect on the appearance of products and their perceived quality. This can be addressed by adding veneers to new substrates to enhance their aesthetics, such as making plastic surfaces appear to be metal.
