Company History
How We Got Started...
Because Lauren has more than forty years of extruded polymer seal and gasket experience,
Lauren can be your single, integrated source for high-tech molded and extruded polymer
solutions and coatings. Lauren offers the highest-quality standards in molded parts
as well as custom and standard extrusions that the industry has come to count on
us for.
Lauren Manufacturing Company began operations as a rubber extrusion company in 1965
in Garrettsville, Ohio. Founded by Dale Lauren Foland, the company quickly outgrew
its original facility and moved to a larger plant in Kent, Ohio. In 1973, the company
moved to its present location in the Knisely Industrial Park at New Philadelphia,
Ohio, and began production in early 1974.
Since that time, Lauren has had six major plant expansions, including the addition
of a complete mixing facility, a secondary fabrication operation for laminating,
cutting, splicing and packaging, a new maintenance department and new sales offices
for the sales-service, accounting and marketing departments. Total plant size is
now 160,000 square feet. Approximately 350 people are employed at Lauren, with over
40 sales representatives in the United States and Canada.
Lauren's primary product line is custom-designed and standard profile extruded closed-cell
sponge and solid rubber seals, gaskets and weather-stripping manufactured from organic
and silicone rubber gaskets. We are best known in the industry for applying pressure
sensitive adhesives to our products. The company services over 1000 active customers
in a variety of markets. Almost 45% of these are transportation related, with Lauren
parts used in cars, trucks, recreational vehicles, construction and agricultural
equipment. Other large markets for Lauren parts include the appliance, construction,
computer and electronics industries.
Late in 1988, Lauren diversified its product line by introducing custom designed
injection-molded products. The first project was for the Mirro/Wearever Company,
producing silicone grips for skillet handles. In 1989, Lauren Mfg introduced a unique
sponge-rubber architectural seal for use in the insulated glass industry. Marketed
under the trade name Super Spacer®, the product was developed jointly with Edgetech
I.G. Limited, of Ottawa, Canada. In late 1989, Edgetech became a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Lauren Mfg. Today Lauren International, Inc. serves as the parent company of
Lauren Manufacturing, Edgetech, Lauren AgriSystems and LMI Custom Mixing.
Our Philosophy
Our operating philosophy is to exceed our customers' expectations in terms of product
development, quality, delivery, technology and service. We are striving to attain
zero defects, eliminate waste, conserve natural resources and preserve our environment.
It is our mission to achieve profitable growth as a problem solver, solutions provider
of quality products and services to our customers as an industry leader.