About us
The origin of Artech Rubber BV
Artech Rubber BV was founded in 1992 by Henk Ariese and originally stood for Ariese Technische Rubber BV. At the location where we are now located, it started at IJslandsestraat 8. With a few presses and a lot of rubber experience, gained in previous positions at rubber processing companies, it started. From the beginning with our own mold making, rubber preparation and production of rubber molded products.
In the years following its foundation, a nicely varied arsenal of vulcanisation presses was purchased from various angles, enabling a wide range of products to be made. With the same entrepreneurial spirit, the building at Ijslandsestraat number 12 was also purchased and immediately expanded with an eye to the future. Due to Henk’s illness, daughter Anja Ariese and her partner Marco Leunk took over the company at the end of 1998. Despite difficult economic periods and the shift of production to low-wage countries, the company continued successfully. By focusing on short delivery times for rubber parts, investing in rubber-metal connections and the somewhat larger products, Artech was able to distinguish itself and conquer a creditable position in the market.
Takeover by Richard Groot
In 2017, Artech Rubber was acquired by Richard Groot. With over 27 years of experience and knowledge of rubber products, applications and uses, Artech was able to focus on new opportunities and markets. One of the opportunities was the acquisition of part of Schneegans rubber moulding products from Emmerich Germany. Since Schneegans was already a customer, the products were already known to Artech.
With this takeover, large injection presses, semi-automatic and fully automatic vulcanization presses came to Artech. With these machines and knowledge, the opportunity is seen to bring products that currently mainly come from Asia back to the Netherlands. Larger series of all kinds of different products can now be made cost-efficiently and quickly in Zutphen and offered competitively.
In addition to a portfolio of its own products and the Schneegans rubber moulded parts, Artech nowadays focuses mainly on high-quality and customer-specific products. By using standard compounds, but also specifically developed or high-performance compounds, Artech can offer a very wide range of products from small to large and in all kinds of types, colors and quantities.
Sustainable developments at Artech Rubber BV
In addition to the development and production of high-quality products, O-rings and rubber-metal connections and advice in every area of rubber technology, Artech’s intrinsic motivation remains to produce sustainably. Traditionally, Artech mainly had steam presses, which have now all been replaced or converted to electrically heated vulcanization presses. In addition, electricity is generated by solar panels, all lighting has been converted to LED and the means of transport are even hybrid or fully electric.
But the biggest step in sustainability has been taken with the devulcanization and the reprocessing and compounding of “end of life” tires or production waste into high-quality rubber moulded parts. We are a market leader in this and process more than 150 tons of rubber devulcanizate annually.