Pressing Forward: HF Rubber Machinery Inc.
By Jen Leclair
Photos by Brian Peters
When HF Rubber Machinery Inc., the Topeka-based North American hub of global manufacturer HF Group, secured funding through Topeka’s Joint Economic Development Organization (JEDO) last year, it wasn’t to build a new facility or move operations. It was to bring back domestic production of tire curing presses, a category of industrial equipment that American manufacturers have long sourced from overseas.
That effort led to a significant structural shift. In 2024, HF Mixing Group officially became HF Group following the merger of its mixing division with its tire curing division. While both sides of the business operate under the same broader ownership, bringing them together under one unified structure has created new efficiencies and opportunities, particularly for the Topeka facility.
“For us, last year was really the first year operating jointly,” said John Adams, executive vice president of HF Rubber Machinery. “That’s where a lot of the investment and future planning really started to take shape.”
A NEW IMPRESSION
JEDO voted to approve an incentive package totaling $147,000 for HF Rubber Machinery, supporting real property investment, equipment purchases, workforce training and job creation. The incentives complement the company’s own capital investment of $1 million in real property and $600,000 in equipment. The expansion is projected to generate $71 million in economic impact for the region, according to IMPLAN analysis, with an estimated return on investment of 415%.
Traditionally, tire curing presses have largely been sourced from overseas. But shifting global dynamics, including tariffs and supply chain disruptions, have created both challenges and opportunities for manufacturers.
“Customers are looking to replace aging equipment, and historically they’ve had to go overseas,” Adams said. “With tariffs and supply chain complexities, it made sense for us to evaluate how we could build those machines here.”
The result is a plan to begin assembling tire curing presses in Topeka, with production expected to ramp up in the coming years. Initial output may start modestly with five to 10 presses annually, but long-term projections aim for as many as 60 units per year.
The company intends to source at least 60% of each press domestically, working with suppliers in Topeka and across the region.
RESHAPING THE MOLD
The expansion may also have a broader economic impact. By increasing demand for locally produced components, the initiative is expected to create a ripple effect across the region’s manufacturing sector.
“We’ll rely heavily on local vendors to produce components,” Adams said. “Our hope is that it will open the door for other businesses to grow alongside us.”
From fabrication shops to electrical suppliers, a wide range of local partners stands to gain from HF Rubber Machinery’s expansion.
Internally, the company is also preparing for growth. Plans call for the addition of up to 19 new full-time positions over the next five years, with annual wages ranging from $50,000 to $80,000, along with expanded roles in engineering, purchasing, logistics and warehousing. The assembly workforce alone is expected to double, with dedicated teams for both mixing equipment and tire press production.
Rather than expanding its physical footprint, HF Rubber Machinery is reimagining how it uses its existing campus in Topeka. This includes renovating a previously damaged building on the south side of the property and converting it into a larger, more efficient warehouse.
This will allow the company to centralize inventory for both mixers and tire press components, while freeing up space in its northern facility for a new press assembly area.
“We’re essentially redesigning how material flows through our campus,” Adams said. “It’s about making everything more efficient as we prepare for this next phase of production.”
The investment also includes new equipment, cranes and specialized tooling necessary for assembling tire curing presses.
STEADY UNDER PRESSURE
Following a surge in demand during the post-pandemic recovery, the industry has begun to stabilize. Order volumes have leveled off, returning to more predictable patterns.
While this shift has reduced backlog pressures, it has also prompted customers to focus on maximizing the efficiency of existing equipment rather than investing in new capacity.
“There’s definitely more of a reset happening,” Adams said. “Customers are asking, ‘How can we get more out of what we already have?’”
In response, HF Rubber Machinery continues to emphasize not only new equipment but also service, maintenance and lifecycle support. Its teams provide inspections, performance analysis and preventative maintenance services across North America, helping customers extend the life of their machinery and plan for future upgrades.
Although much of HF Rubber Machinery’s work centers on large-scale industrial equipment, the company is continually seeking ways to improve efficiency and knowledge sharing.
While some industries may view artificial intelligence as a threat, HF Rubber Machinery sees it as a tool for augmenting expertise, particularly in helping customers troubleshoot mixing processes or optimize performance.
“It’s about using technology to make us better and faster,” Adams said. “If we can free up people from repetitive tasks, we can focus their talents where they matter most.”
The company is also exploring future opportunities, such as developing a technical mixing lab in Topeka. While that initiative has been temporarily deprioritized in favor of the press expansion, it remains part of HF Rubber Machinery’s long-term vision.
Over the past several years, the company has made a deliberate effort to strengthen its workplace culture by emphasizing collaboration, hiring and employee development. Adams says this approach has helped them maintain a “small company feel” even as the organization operates on a global scale.
“You can manage your culture, or your culture will manage you,” Adams said. “We’ve been very intentional about building a place where people want to work.”
For Adams, the expansion is about a commitment to Topeka.
“We’re proud to invest in Topeka, a community that has supported us for over 65 years,” he said. “We look forward to contributing to its continued economic vitality.”
