HMPE

HMPE stands for High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. The molecular density largely determines the properties of polyethylene as a plastic material.

HMPE

HMPE has a molecular weight of approximately 500,000 g/mol. The material is moisture-repellent, fully approved for direct contact with foodstuffs under applicable food-grade legislation, non-stick, and has a low friction coefficient.

It is a very tough and wear-resistant polyethylene, even at low temperatures. The material has limited compressive strength (creep phenomena), good anti-adhesion properties, and excellent chemical resistance. This material grade is highly suitable for applications in the food industry and is available in various colours.

Compared to standard PE (HD grade), the HMPE 500 version offers better wear and impact resistance. HMPE 500 exhibits a good combination of stiffness, toughness, mechanical damping capacity, and wear resistance.

UHMPE (Ultra) has a molecular density denoted as 1000 or higher and is an extremely wear-resistant plastic. UHMPE is also known as HMPE 1000 and therefore means the same thing. Of all ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene types, HMPE 1000 offers the most balanced property profile. This material combines excellent wear and abrasion resistance with exceptional impact resistance, even at temperatures below -200°C.

Key characteristics

Operating temperature HMPE 500: -100˚ to 80˚
Operating temperature HMPE 1000: -200˚ to 80˚
Good wear and abrasion resistance (especially HMPE 1000)
High impact resistance, even at low temperatures (especially HMPE 1000)
Excellent chemical resistance
Low density compared to other thermoplastics (< 1 g/cm³)
Low friction coefficient
Outstanding anti-adhesive properties
Very low water absorption
Moderate mechanical strength, stiffness, and creep resistance
Very good electrical insulating and dielectric properties (pure grades only)
Excellent machinability
Physiologically inert (suitable for contact with foodstuffs)
Good resistance to high-energy radiation (gamma and X-rays)
Not self-extinguishing

Applications of HMPE

HMPE stands out when low friction, wear resistance, and anti-stick properties are essential, particularly in environments where components continuously move against each other or against another surface. Thanks to its good chemical resistance and very low water absorption, the material also performs well in moist or chemically demanding environments. Due to its physiological inertness and food-grade approval, HMPE is highly suitable for the food industry, particularly in meat and fish processing, where both hygiene and wear resistance are important.

The high impact resistance, even at very low temperatures, also makes HMPE 1000 suitable for heavier applications such as fender strips and lining plates that need to absorb large forces. This versatile material is widely used in the transport and handling sector, the dairy and canning industry, general machine and equipment manufacturing, and specifically in machine building for the food industry, as well as in bottling, filling, and packaging machines.

Typical applications include:

Meat and fish cutting boards
Meat forming plates
Silo and bunker lining plates
Slide and wear strips
Fender strips along quay walls and in buildings
Die cutting pads
Formwork panels
Lining plates for augers, trucks, and shovels

Our possibilities

Food grade certified plastics
Components in the food industry are exposed to cleaning agents and temperature fluctuations on a daily basis. Lakwijk selects materials that can withstand this, ranging from standard POM to high-performance PEEK for the most demanding conditions. This helps prevent deformation, wear, and unnecessary downtime.
Custom material advice
Not every plastic behaves the same way under load, moisture, or heat. Lakwijk knows the properties of commonly used materials such as POM, PA, and HMPE, as well as high-performance plastics like PEEK, PAI, and PTFE. By combining this knowledge with your specific application, we advise a material that isn't just suitable on paper, but also performs well in practice.
All processing techniques in-house
Plastic starts out as sheet or rod material and is processed step by step at Lakwijk into a precise end product. Our operators saw, mill, turn, bend, weld, and glue, depending on what the component requires.