Key Points
- · Beldam Crossley, a Bolton-based engineering firm with 149 years of experience, launched Crossflon® FG, a newly certified food-grade PTFE material.
- · Crossflon® FG has full compliance with EU Regulation 10/2011 for food contact, backed by a Declaration of Compliance.
- · The product features high wear resistance, superior strength, and a hygienic 'Eternal White' colour for contamination control.
- · Crossflon® FG is suitable for various food and beverage industry applications, including bearings, seals, nozzles, and guides.
- · The product has been tested and is in use in major cereal and chocolate production facilities in the UK and Europe.
- · The launch follows a £150,000 investment and a three-year development period for a game-changing subsea bearing range, signalling Beldam Crossley's innovation focus.
- · The company announced recent investments totalling £650,000 for advanced manufacturing equipment to improve precision and efficiency.
- · Beldam Crossley maintains ISO 9001 and AS9100 certifications, serving regulated industries including aerospace, pharmaceutical, food, and marine sectors.
- · Dave Haxton, Managing Director, emphasized the combination of innovation, regulatory compliance, and UK manufacturing heritage in the product launch.
What is the new product launched by Beldam Crossley?
As reported by Beldam Crossley on their official website in August 2025, the company unveiled Crossflon® FG, a world-first food-grade PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) material designed specifically for the food and beverage industry. The new material has been rigorously tested and fully approved under EU Regulation 10/2011 for safe food contact, and it comes with a Declaration of Compliance (DoC) that manufacturers and supply chain operators can use with complete confidence.
Dave Haxton, Managing Director at Beldam Crossley, stated, "Crossflon® FG marks a significant step forward in our polymer innovation strategy. It allows us to serve our food and beverage customers with complete confidence – delivering high-performance, regulatory-compliant components that are built to last and made right here in the UK." This product aims to address the critical need for hygiene, contamination control, and operational reliability in food processing machinery.
Crossflon® FG differentiates itself from standard PTFE by being stronger, more wear-resistant, and featuring an 'Eternal White' colour that enhances cleanliness visibility in food production environments. The product’s excellent low-friction properties make it ideal for use in frictionless systems that require long-term reliability.
What are the applications of Crossflon® FG in the food industry?
According to the detailed product announcement by Beldam Crossley, Crossflon® FG is engineered for diverse applications within food and beverage manufacturing equipment, such as:
- · PTFE bearings for mixers, fillers, and conveyor systems
- · Bushes and seals for shafts, valves, and rotating parts
- · Nozzles used for filling, spraying, and dosing in hygienic processing lines
- · Guides and liners for contact surfaces within food production equipment
The new material is already deployed in several large-scale cereal and chocolate factories across the UK and Europe, supporting their high-volume food processing and packaging operations. This real-world usage validates the product’s performance under demanding industrial conditions.
How did Beldam Crossley develop the new product and what investments have been made?
The launch of Crossflon® FG follows a strategic commitment from Beldam Crossley in innovation and manufacturing excellence. The company completed a three-year development programme supported by an investment exceeding £150,000, which also assisted in the release of a groundbreaking subsea bearing range, reflecting the breadth of Beldam Crossley’s engineering innovation.
Additionally, as disclosed in August 2025 through aerospace.co.uk by the company, Beldam Crossley invested £650,000 in state-of-the-art machinery and facility enhancements. Significant portions of this investment were allocated to:
- · £130,000 on installing automated storage and retrieval systems (two Kardex machines) to improve inventory management
- · £280,000 on advanced CNC machines and programming software to increase the precision, tolerance, and efficiency of PTFE machined components production
These technological upgrades enhance the manufacturing consistency and quality of the company's flagship PTFE products, including seals, bearings, and bellows, supporting multiple regulated sectors such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and food and beverage processing.
What is Beldam Crossley’s reputation and history in engineering?
As documented by Beldam Crossley’s history section dated July 2025, the company has a venerable legacy dating back to 1876, establishing itself as a global leader in sealing and polymer engineering. Over nearly 150 years, it has evolved from serving Britain's early industrial transport sectors to providing advanced sealing solutions for aerospace, marine, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
Beldam Crossley holds several internationally recognised certifications, including BS EN ISO 9001 and BS EN ISO AS 9100, reflecting its commitment to quality and reliability. The brand is trusted worldwide with distribution across over 25 countries and a focus on sectors where failure is not an option.
How will Crossflon® FG benefit food production companies?
Crossflon® FG offers food producers a future-ready material engineered for operational excellence. As highlighted by Dave Haxton, the Managing Director, “Our mission is to provide not only performance but trust. Crossflon® FG gives food producers a future-ready material that’s clean, compliant and engineered for operational excellence.” This means that consumers and manufacturers can expect components that not only meet rigorous safety standards but also improve the longevity and hygiene of food manufacturing equipment.
The availability of a Declaration of Compliance and supporting test documentation throughout the product lifecycle ensures that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), engineers, and operators receive total peace of mind regarding material safety and reliability.
What does the launch mean for the local economy in Bolton and the UK manufacturing sector?
The introduction of Crossflon® FG reinforces Beldam Crossley’s position as a hub of advanced manufacturing and engineering innovation in Bolton, UK. Producing the materials domestically aligns with the company's strong "Made in Britain" ethos, ensuring high standards and supporting local employment in a town with a rich industrial heritage.
This launch also demonstrates the company’s commitment to maintaining and enhancing the UK’s global reputation for precision engineering, especially in critical supply chains linked to food safety and industrial innovation.
What additional recognition and certifications does Beldam Crossley hold?
Beyond the new food-grade PTFE material, Beldam Crossley’s product portfolio includes:
- · DNV and US Coast Guard-certified sealing solutions for marine applications
- · Aerospace-grade polymer bearings with AS9100 accreditation
- · Approvals for energy sector compliance such as JOSCAR MOD
- · ISO 9001 quality management systems ensuring robust operational standards
These certifications underpin the trust customers place in Beldam Crossley for applications in highly regulated and safety-critical environments worldwide.