Where we came from

1943 Founded in Kent, Ohio, molding rubber parts for the war effort

1946 HK develops initial design for rubber gaskets for concrete pipe, marketed as Type C Gasket
1957 Canadian manufacturing plant opened (Cooksville)
1981 Canadian manufacturing transferred to new plant (Toronto)
1985 HK splits into two separate companies HK-USA and HK-Canada
1987 HK-Canada begins development of Pre-Lubricated gasket for Single-offset Jointed Concrete Pipe
1990 Pre-lubricated gasket product introduced into Canadian market as Tylox® SuperSeal™
1993 Tylox® SuperSeal™ introduced into U.S. market
1994 HK-USA liquidates
1998 Toronto plant expands to increase production capacity by 33% and enlarge the distribution center
1999 HK acquired by Glynwed International PLC
2001 Glynwed sells pipe systems unit, which includes HK, to Aliaxis (formerly Etex Group SA); HK acquires assets of NC Rubber Products, Kitchener, Ontario. Plant upgraded to provide additional production and warehouse facilities
2004 Toronto plant becomes ISO 9001 certified
2006 HK-Canada forms HK LLC, a US-based company, which then acquires boot connector assets of International Precast Supply Haverhill, Mass; adding cast-in and mechanically installed boot connectors to product line
2007 HK builds state-of-the art manufacturing facility and distribution center in Winchester, Tennessee. U.S. distribution and manufacturing for TSS and SOCL gaskets transferred from Toronto
2008 HK closes Reno, Nevada facility, and replaces it with larger Regional Distribution Facility in Tracy, California. Boot manufacturing transferred to Winchester, TN plant from Haverhill, which is then closed. Kitchener plant is closed and production transferred to Toronto
2009 HK begins selling and manufacturing The Lifespan System
2011 HK closes Tracey distribution facility, shifting distribution to the Winchester, TN plant
2015 HK receives ISO 14001 certification for both plants
2018 Both HK plants receive ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications

Lifespan - Watertight System - Brochure