Garlock Sealing Technologies, a leader in fluid sealing technology for more than 100 years, has launched Multi-Swell™, a proprietary new gasketing material. The world's first self-loading general service gasket, Multi-Swell creates its own load when it comes into contact with oil or water, virtually eliminating the most common cause of gasket failure – insufficient load.

This revolutionary new material performs equally well in oil or water, does not degrade in contact with oils, and adapts easily to all types of flange designs, making Multi-Swell an ideal gasket for a broad range of other applications –– all at a cost comparable to conventional gasket materials. As it seals flanges in less than perfect conditions, minimizing maintenance, Multi-Swell is particularly well-suited for MRO applications.

"More than 70% of all gasket failures are due to lack of load," said Tim Hurley, Garlock product manager. "Multi-Swell generates and maintains its own load. It works well even in combination with flanges in poor condition or flanges designed for soft, low performance gaskets."

Twice as soft as conventional gaskets, Multi-Swell is easy to cut and readily conformable even to irregular flanges, ensuring tight seals with lower loads. Multi-Swell features extremely high crush strength and can be safely installed in applications that would typically crush elastomeric gaskets. In applications such as transmissions and air conditioning systems, where vibration often causes bolt load loss or where load loss occurs because of bolt relaxation, Multi-Swell counters that loss to prevent leakage and weeping. Because it performs well under low load conditions, Multi-Swell can be used with confidence even with plastic or cast iron flanges.

Multi-Swell is both environment-friendly and budget-friendly. Using Multi-Swell actually reduces the expenses associated with vegetable fiber and cork gaskets. Cork and vegetable fiber gaskets' capillary leak paths require the use of absorbent oil pads, create oil loss and safety issues, and sometimes necessitate expensive water treatment when leakage occurs. The use of Multi-Swell eliminates these costs and environmental risks.

Its versatility makes Multi-Swell ideal for applications such as: compressors, pumps, gear boxes, transformers, fuel pumps and cast water flanges.

Multi-Swell can be purchased through an authorized Garlock distributor or visit www.garlock.com and go to "Representative Locator" to contact a local Garlock representative. Pricing is available on request.

About Garlock

Garlock Sealing Technologies, an EnPro Industries company, designs, manufactures and sells fluid sealing products worldwide. A recognized industry leader, Garlock advances fluid sealing technology by delivering innovative solutions and services for process industries' most demanding applications. The company has 13 global operations with 1,500 employees and distributes its products in more than 75 countries. For more information on Garlock products and services, visit www.garlock.com.